Uploaded November 2017 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The graph of a quadratic function in a single variable is a parabola. Setting that function equal to zero creates a quadratic equation, and the solutions to that equation are the "zeros" or "roots" of the function. In quadratic functions of a real variable x, those solutions or "roots" are the function's x-intercepts. In this lecture, we see that quadratic equations had their origins in ancient times, and we continue to find many common applications for quadratic functions today.
The graph of a quadratic function in a single variable is a parabola. Setting that function equal to zero creates a quadratic equation, and the solutions to that equation are the "zeros" or "roots" of the function. In quadratic functions of a real variable x, those solutions or "roots" are the function's x-intercepts. In this lecture, we see that quadratic equations had their origins in ancient times, and we continue to find many common applications for quadratic functions today.
