Standard problem: x² − 7x + 12 = 0
a=1, b=−7, c=12. Discriminant: 49 − 48 = 1. Roots: (7 ± 1)/2 = 4, 3. Verify: (x−3)(x−4) = x² − 7x + 12. ✓ Vertex: (3.5, −0.25) - the minimum point of the parabola.
Solve any quadratic equation of the form ax² + bx + c = 0 - with real or complex roots. The solver also computes the discriminant, vertex, axis of symmetry, and identifies whether the parabola opens upward or downward. Useful for class 10 / class 12 board exam practice, entrance test prep, and physics projectile problems.
Root 1
x₁ = 3
Root 2
x₂ = 2
Discriminant (Δ)
1
Δ > 0: two distinct real roots
Vertex
(2.5, -0.25)
Axis of symmetry
x = 2.5
Two distinct real roots. Parabola opens upward and crosses the x-axis at both roots.
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Quadratic equations are among the most frequently encountered equation types in school mathematics, physics, engineering and finance. CBSE Class 10 introduces them in depth (including by factoring, completing the square, and the quadratic formula); Class 11-12 extends the treatment to complex roots and parabolic geometry; JEE and other competitive exams test them every year. Beyond school, quadratics show up in projectile motion (kinematics), optimisation problems (where the vertex is the max or min), parabolic mirror and antenna design, and break-even analysis in business.
This solver handles the full case set - real distinct roots, repeated roots, and complex roots - and returns additional curve properties (vertex, axis of symmetry, parabola orientation) that are often part of the same problem. The quadratic formula x = (−b ± √(b² − 4ac))/2a works for every case, with the discriminant Δ = b² − 4ac determining the nature of roots: positive (two distinct real), zero (one repeated real), or negative (two complex conjugates).
Enter coefficient a (the x² coefficient) - must be non-zero for it to be a quadratic.
Enter coefficient b (the x coefficient).
Enter coefficient c (the constant term).
Read both roots, the discriminant, and the parabola's vertex.
If the discriminant is negative, the calculator returns complex roots in p ± qi form.
The quadratic formula always works: x = (−b ± √(b² − 4ac)) / 2a. The discriminant b² − 4ac decides the nature of roots. Positive → two distinct real roots. Zero → one repeated real root (the parabola just touches the x-axis). Negative → two complex roots that are conjugates of each other. The vertex coordinates are (−b/2a, c − b²/4a) and the axis of symmetry is x = −b/2a.
x = (−b ± √(b² − 4ac)) / 2a
The quadratic formula derives from completing the square on the general form ax² + bx + c = 0. Divide by a, move c/a to the right side, add (b/2a)² to both sides to complete the square, take the square root, solve for x. The result: x = (−b ± √(b² − 4ac))/2a. The ± gives the two roots; the discriminant under the square root tells you whether roots are real or complex.
Parabola geometry tied to quadratic coefficients: the parabola y = ax² + bx + c opens upward if a > 0 (vertex is the minimum) or downward if a < 0 (vertex is the maximum). Vertex x-coordinate = −b/(2a). Vertex y-coordinate = c − b²/(4a). Axis of symmetry: vertical line x = −b/(2a). Y-intercept: y = c (when x = 0). X-intercepts: the roots, if real.
Beyond the quadratic formula, factoring is often faster for nice integer-root quadratics. To factor ax² + bx + c when a = 1: find two numbers whose product is c and whose sum is b - those are the roots (with signs flipped). Example: x² + 5x + 6: find numbers multiplying to 6, summing to 5 - that's 2 and 3. So factors are (x + 2)(x + 3), roots are x = −2, −3. The calculator's quadratic-formula approach always works; factoring is a useful shortcut for clean cases.
a=1, b=−7, c=12. Discriminant: 49 − 48 = 1. Roots: (7 ± 1)/2 = 4, 3. Verify: (x−3)(x−4) = x² − 7x + 12. ✓ Vertex: (3.5, −0.25) - the minimum point of the parabola.
a=1, b=1, c=1. Discriminant: 1 − 4 = −3 < 0. Roots: (−1 ± √3 i)/2 = −0.5 ± 0.866i. Two complex conjugate roots; the parabola never touches the x-axis.
Equation (taking g=10 m/s²): 5 + 20t − 5t² = 0, or −5t² + 20t + 5 = 0. Discriminant: 400 + 100 = 500. Roots: (−20 ± √500)/(−10) ≈ 4.24 sec (positive root). The ball hits ground after ~4.24 seconds.
An equation of the form ax² + bx + c = 0 where a ≠ 0. "Quadratic" comes from the Latin quadratus (squared), referring to the x² term. Quadratic equations have exactly two roots in the complex number system, counted with multiplicity.
The discriminant is b² − 4ac. Its sign tells you the nature of the roots without solving the equation: positive → two real roots, zero → one repeated real root, negative → two complex (non-real) roots.
a = 1, b = −5, c = 6. Discriminant = 25 − 24 = 1. Roots = (5 ± 1)/2 = 3 and 2. Verify: (x − 2)(x − 3) = x² − 5x + 6. ✓
The roots are complex conjugates. Example x² + x + 1 = 0: discriminant = 1 − 4 = −3. Roots = (−1 ± √3 i) / 2, which the calculator shows as −0.5 ± 0.866i.
The peak (or valley) point of the curve y = ax² + bx + c. Its coordinates are x = −b/2a and y = c − b²/4a. If a > 0, the parabola opens upward and the vertex is the minimum. If a < 0, it opens downward and the vertex is the maximum.
A vertical line through the vertex. Its equation is x = −b/2a. The two roots (if real) are equidistant from this line.
If a = 0 the equation is linear (bx + c = 0) and the calculator handles that case too - the answer is x = −c/b.
If r₁ and r₂ are the roots, the quadratic factors as a(x − r₁)(x − r₂). Example: roots 3 and 2 with a = 1 → (x − 3)(x − 2) = x² − 5x + 6.
From simple percentages to scientific notation, statistics, geometry and big-number arithmetic - every common math problem you'd reach for a calculator for, runs in your browser with no installs. The fraction calculator preserves exact rationals, the big-number calculator uses BigInt for hundreds of digits without precision loss, and the scientific calculator's expression evaluator is a hand-written shunting-yard parser (no eval) that supports trig, log, factorial and parentheses.
If you're a student, double-check your work without paying for a graphing calculator. If you're a professional, use these tools as a sanity check on spreadsheet formulas. Every result is shown alongside its formula and inputs, so the math is always auditable.
The Quadratic Equation Solver is part of the Math suite on Online Calculator Tools, alongside 6 related calculators. All tools share the same UI patterns, the same privacy-first rendering (nothing is sent to a server), and the same commitment to showing the formula and assumptions behind every result.