quadratic equation

American

noun

Mathematics.

an equation containing a single variable of degree 2. Its general form is ax 2 + bx + c = 0, where x is the variable and a, b, and c are constants (a ≠ 0).

Etymology

Origin of quadratic equation

First recorded in 1680–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

One especially influential Indian mathematician was Brahmagupta, whose algebraic techniques could handle any quadratic equation.

From Scientific American • Aug. 10, 2023

Remember how the discriminant determines the number of solutions of a quadratic equation?

From Textbooks • May 6, 2020

How to solve a quadratic equation using the square root property.

From Textbooks • May 6, 2020

The solution or roots for any quadratic equation can be calculated using the following formula:

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

Babi taught her to derive the quadratic equation, showed her how to factor polynomials and plot parametric curves.

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023