24 questions working through all three methods of solving a quadratic, plus roots and turning points from the graph.

📈 Quadratics: factorise, complete the square, formula

Maths · GCSE Higher · 24 questions · ~45 min

MathsUKwww.geekhero.co.uk

Almost every Higher paper asks you to solve a quadratic, and the mark is often lost not on the algebra but on choosing the wrong method for the quadratic in front of you. This sheet takes the three methods in turn and then mixes them. It starts with factorising, including ax² + bx + c and the difference of two squares; moves to completing the square, and to reading the turning point straight out of the completed form; then to the quadratic formula, where the marks go missing on −b when b is already negative and on dividing the whole numerator by 2a. The last section gives you quadratics with no instruction, so you have to decide for yourself. Roots, intercepts and turning points from the graph are included too, because the graphical and algebraic halves of this topic are examined together.

1.Solve x² − 100 = 0.
(a)x = 10 or x = −10
(b)x = 10
(c)x = 100 or x = −100
(d)x = 50
2.Factorise fully 56x − 24
(a)8(7x − 16)
(b)8(56x − 3)
(c)8(7x + 3)
(d)8(7x − 3)
3.A quadratic graph has roots at x = −3 and x = 5, and it crosses the y-axis at (0, −15). Work out the equation of the curve in the form y = (x − a)(x − b).
(a)y = (x − 3)(x − 5)
(b)y = (x − 3)(x + 5)
(c)y = (x + 3)(x + 5)
(d)y = (x + 3)(x − 5)
4.Solve 2x² = 18.
(a)x = 9 or x = −9
(b)x = 4 or x = −4
(c)x = 6 or x = −6
(d)x = 3 or x = −3
5.A graph has equation y = x² − 6x + 5. A student says its turning point has x-coordinate 6, because that's the coefficient of x. Which statement corrects the student's mistake?
y = x² − 6x + 5
(a)The student is correct, because the turning point's x-coordinate always equals the coefficient of x.
(b)The turning point has x-coordinate −6, because the sign of the coefficient must be reversed.
(c)The turning point has x-coordinate 5, because that is the larger of the equation's two roots.
(d)The roots of x² − 6x + 5 = 0 are x = 1 and x = 5 (since it factorises to (x − 1)(x − 5)), so by symmetry the turning point has x-coordinate 3, not 6.
6.The graph of y = x² − 2x − 8 takes these values: when x = −2, y = 0; when x = −1, y = −5; when x = 0, y = −8; when x = 3, y = −5; when x = 4, y = 0. Use these values to write down the two solutions of x² − 2x − 8 = 0.
y = x² − 2x − 8
(a)x = −2
(b)x = −1 or x = 3
(c)x = −2 or x = 4
(d)x = 0 or x = −8
7.By completing the square, find the turning point of the curve y = 3x² + 12x + 7.
y = 3x² + 12x + 7
(a)x = −2, y = 5
(b)x = −4, y = −41
(c)x = 2, y = −5
(d)x = −2, y = −5
8.Solve x² − 2x − 24 = 0.
(a)x = 6 or x = −4
(b)x = −6 or x = 4
(c)x = −8 or x = 3
(d)x = −6 or x = −4
9.A rectangular photo has length (x + 3) cm and width x cm. Its area is 40 cm². Work out the value of x.
(a)x = −8
(b)x = 5
(c)x = 5 or x = −8
(d)x = 4
10.Expand and simplify (x − 3)²
(a)x² + 6x + 9
(b)x² − 9
(c)x² − 3x + 9
(d)x² − 6x + 9
11.Simplify (2x² + 7x + 3) ÷ (x² − 9), giving your answer as a single fraction.
(a)(2x + 1)/(x + 3)
(b)(2x + 1)/(x − 3)
(c)2x + 1
(d)(2x + 3)/(x − 3)
12.A ball is thrown in the air. Its height, h metres, above the ground after t seconds is given in this table: when t = 0, h = 0; when t = 1, h = 15; when t = 2, h = 20; when t = 3, h = 15; when t = 4, h = 0. Use the table to find the two times, in seconds, at which the ball is at ground level.
(a)t = 0 or t = 4
(b)t = 2
(c)t = 0
(d)t = 1 or t = 3
13.A table shows y = x² − 6x + 5 at these points (x, y): (0, 5), (1, 0), (2, −3), (3, −4), (4, −3), (5, 0), (6, 5). Using the symmetry shown, write down the x-coordinate of the turning point.
y = x² − 6x + 5
(a)x = 1
(b)x = 5
(c)x = 6
(d)x = 3
14.A rectangle has length (2x + 5) cm and width (x − 2) cm. Work out an expression, in terms of x, for the perimeter of the rectangle. Give your answer in its simplest form.
(a)4x² + 2x − 20
(b)6x + 6
(c)6x + 14
(d)3x + 3
15.Solve 2x² − 32 = 0.
(a)x = 8
(b)x = 4
(c)x = 16
(d)x = 4 or x = −4
16.A square tile has an area of 144 cm². Work out the side length of the tile.
(a)12 cm or −12 cm
(b)72 cm
(c)12 cm
(d)36 cm
17.Solve x² − 6x = 0.
(a)x = 0
(b)x = 3
(c)x = 6
(d)x = 0 or x = 6
18.Factorise 3x² + 10x − 8.
(a)(3x − 4)(x + 2)
(b)(3x + 2)(x − 4)
(c)(x − 2)(3x + 4)
(d)(3x − 2)(x + 4)
19.A quadratic curve has a root at x = −2 and its turning point has x-coordinate 3. Work out the curve's other root, using the symmetry of the graph.
(a)x = −8
(b)x = 1
(c)x = 8
(d)x = 5
20.Subtract, giving your answer as a single fraction in its simplest form: 4/(x − 1) − 2/(x + 3)
(a)(2x + 11)/((x − 1)(x + 3))
(b)(2x + 14)/((x − 1)(x + 3))
(c)2/((x − 1)(x + 3))
(d)(2x − 10)/((x − 1)(x + 3))
21.The curve y = 2x² − 12x + 7 has a minimum point. By completing the square, find the value of x at which the minimum occurs.
y = 2x² − 12x + 7
(a)6
(b)−3
(c)−12
(d)3
22.The height, h metres, of a ball t seconds after a stopwatch is started follows h = (t − 1)(5 − t) for 1 ≤ t ≤ 5, where h = 0 means the ball is at ground level. Work out the two times at which the ball is at ground level.
(a)t = 1 second and t = 4 seconds
(b)t = 1 second and t = −5 seconds
(c)t = 1 second and t = 5 seconds
(d)t = −1 second and t = 5 seconds
23.A quadratic graph has equation y = (x − 4)². A student says this graph crosses the x-axis at two different points. Explain why the student is wrong.
(a)It touches the x-axis once, only at x = 4.
(b)It never touches the x-axis at all.
(c)It crosses twice, at x = 4 and x = −4.
(d)It crosses twice, at x = 2 and x = −2.
24.By completing the square, show that the curve y = x² − 14x + 50 never crosses the x-axis. Which statement gives the correct reason?
y = x² − 14x + 50
(a)The turning point is above the x-axis at (7, −1)
(b)50 is positive, so y is always positive
(c)The discriminant is positive, so y is never zero
(d)(x − 7)² + 1 is at least 1 for every x, so y is never 0

What is on this worksheet?

The sheet holds 24 questions drawn from the MathsUK bank — the content area covered: Algebra (statements A18, A11, A4). It is pitched at GCSE Higher and takes about 45 minutes to work through in full. It is built for independent practice, with full answers at the end for self-marking.

How to use the sheet well

Print it or open it on screen — both work. Printing is A4; the screen view fits phones and tablets.
Do all 24 questions before checking — about 45 minutes is the guide, but there is no time pressure.
Check the answers — press “Show answers” or print the answer page separately.
Redo the questions you got wrong — twice as effective as doing 24 fresh ones.
“New questions” — builds a fresh sheet on the same statements, so you can practise again without repeats.

Why this sheet helps

MathsUK worksheets use questions graded by difficulty and a fair spread of correct-answer positions (the answer is not always (a)) — so the student really has to think about each question rather than guess a pattern. Every question is tagged to a DfE content statement and checked before it enters the bank. The answers come with a step-by-step explanation, not just a value — so a wrong answer becomes a lesson.

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