Quadratics, i was good until here.

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around finding a quadratic function that fits a set of points: A (0, 1), C (2, 6), and D (3, 10). Participants are attempting to derive equations based on these points to determine the coefficients of the quadratic equation in the form y = ax² + bx + c.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss setting up equations based on the given points, with some expressing confusion about the first equation and how to incorporate the known value of c. There are attempts to substitute c into the other equations to form a system of equations for a and b.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided guidance on how to proceed with the equations, suggesting that substituting c into the other equations should simplify the problem. There is ongoing exploration of the implications of using different sets of points and the potential for fitting a quadratic function to them.

Contextual Notes

Participants note discrepancies in the points being used for the quadratic model, with some confusion arising from the inclusion of an additional point not originally mentioned. There is also discussion about the limitations of fitting a quadratic function to four points, suggesting the need for a cubic function instead.

offtheleft
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im going to try to make this as short and easy to follow as possible haha

and I am just warning, this is probably so simple that i can't even grasp it because I am reading too deeply into it.

okay, I am working with these three points:
[tex]A (0, 1)<br /> C (2, 6)<br /> D (3, 10)[/tex]

i worked them into three equations, the first one is killing me though!

[tex]a(0)^2 + b (0) + c = 1[/tex] this is the one I am having trouble with, i can't set it up properly because all i have is [tex]c = 1[/tex]

i have for the other two:

[tex]C. . ., 4a + 2b +c = 6[/tex]

[tex]D. . ., 9a + 3b + c = 10[/tex]


now, in order to get my model for [tex]y = ax^2 + bx + c[/tex]

how would i set this up, other than that I am doing alright..
 
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offtheleft said:
im going to try to make this as short and easy to follow as possible haha

and I am just warning, this is probably so simple that i can't even grasp it because I am reading too deeply into it.

okay, I am working with these three points:
[tex]A (0, 1)<br /> C (2, 6)<br /> D (3, 10)[/tex]

i worked them into three equations, the first one is killing me though!

[tex]a(0)^2 + b (0) + c = 1[/tex] this is the one I am having trouble with, i can't set it up properly because all i have is [tex]c = 1[/tex]

i have for the other two:

[tex]C. . ., 4a + 2b +c = 6[/tex]

[tex]D. . ., 9a + 3b + c = 10[/tex]now, in order to get my model for [tex]y = ax^2 + bx + c[/tex]

how would i set this up, other than that I am doing alright..

Well from the first equation you have found that c=1, so just sub that into the following two equations and then you have a system of two equations in two variables (a and b). Why should the first one cause any trouble?
 
[tex]a(0)^2 + b (0) + c = 1[tex] this is the one I am having trouble with, i can't set it up properly because all i have is <br /> [tex]c=1[/tex]<br /> You SHOULD get a + 0 + c = 1<br /> <br /> Continue from there and you should have no trouble.[/tex][/tex]
 
like i said, so simple that i can't eve grasp it.

thanks, ill see how it works out! :)
-------

i got:

[tex]y = \frac{1}{2}x^2 + 3x + 1[/tex]
 
Last edited:
symbolipoint said:
[tex]a(0)^2 + b (0) + c = 1[/tex]
this is the one I am having trouble with, i can't set it up properly because all i have is
[tex]c=1[/tex]
You SHOULD get a + 0 + c = 1
No, you shouldn't. 02= 0, not 1. c= 1 is correct.
 
HallsofIvy said:
No, you shouldn't. 02= 0, not 1. c= 1 is correct.

i used [tex]c = 1[/tex]. I am quite confident that the answer i got[tex](<br /> y = \frac{1}{2}x^2 + 3x + 1)[/tex] is incorrect. when i plug in all the numbers, get the changes from the original y value and square it, i get all sorts of weird answers for this one. usually, its all 0's except for one value but that's not happening.
 
offtheleft said:
i used [tex]c = 1[/tex]. I am quite confident that the answer i got[tex](<br /> y = \frac{1}{2}x^2 + 3x + 1)[/tex] is incorrect. when i plug in all the numbers, get the changes from the original y value and square it, i get all sorts of weird answers for this one. usually, its all 0's except for one value but that's not happening.

Perhaps you solved the system of equations incorrectly. Have a look at your working, and if you still can't figure it out, post your working here :smile:
 
danago said:
Perhaps you solved the system of equations incorrectly. Have a look at your working, and if you still can't figure it out, post your working here :smile:

okay, here's what we did in class:

four points;
[tex]A (0, 1)[/tex]
[tex]B (1, 2)[/tex]
[tex]C (2, 6)[/tex]
[tex]D (3, 10[/tex]

we went over (what I am sure everyone here, including my self, already know. its good to think about and keep fresh in my mind) how two points define a line and for a function such as a half of a parabola, (at least) three points are required.

for our first model, we chose points [tex]ABC[/tex].

i have three equations:

[tex]c =1[/tex]
[tex]1a + 1b + c = 2[/tex]
[tex]4a + 2b + c = 6[/tex]

with that info, i don't know how i got from there to here(our first model):

[tex]\hat{y}_{1} = \frac{3}{2}x^2 - \frac{1}{2}x + 1[/tex]

plug in all the numbers to get the residual (the problem i had last time, but now i can do it in my sleep).

heres what I am about to do, hopefully i can elaborate enough.

im going to plug in the numbers from all four points, not just the three that i am using for this model.
point [tex]A[/tex]

[tex]\hat{y}_{1} = \frac{3}{2}(0)^2 - \frac{1}{2}(0) + 1 = 1[/tex]

[tex](y - \hat{y}_{1})^2 = 0[/tex] (the residual)

[tex](0 - 0)^2 = 0[/tex]



point [tex]B[/tex]

[tex]\hat{y}_{1} = \frac{3}{2}(1)^2 - \frac{1}{2}(1) + 1 = 2[/tex]

[tex](y - \hat{y}_{1})^2 = 0[/tex] (the residual)

[tex](2 - 2)^2 = 0[/tex]



im posting this now and will continue immediately. this is just to be sure nothing happens and i have to redo the whole thing.
 
point [tex]C[/tex]

[tex]\hat{y}_{1} = \frac{3}{2}(2)^2 - \frac{1}{2}(2) + 1 = 6[/tex]

[tex](y - \hat{y}_{1})^2 = 0[/tex]

[tex](0 - 0)^2 = 0[/tex]



heres where it finally changes!


[tex]\hat{y}_{1} = \frac{3}{2}(3)^2 - \frac{1}{2}(3) + 1 = 13[/tex]

[tex](y - \hat{y}_{1})^2 = 9[/tex]

[tex](10 - 13)^2 = 0[/tex]


so for model [tex]ABC[/tex]

[tex]\hat{y}_{1} = \frac{3}{2}x^2 - \frac{1}{2}x + 1[/tex]

[tex]\sum(y - \hat{y}_{1})^2 = 9[/tex]

the sum of our residual is nine
 
  • #10
the second model is with points [tex]ABD[/tex]

heres how it looks: [tex]\hat{y}_{2} = x^2 + 1[/tex]

(this was done is class as well)

plug in the numbers

everything is 0 except for point [tex]C[/tex] which will look like this:

heres how it looks: [tex]\hat{y}_{2} = 2^2 + 1 = 5[/tex]

[tex](6 - 5)^2 = 1[/tex]

so,

[tex]\sum(y_{1} - \hat{y}_{2})^2 = 1[/tex]
 
  • #11
our third model, well, fourth, the third one is the one i am trying to figure out:

ill keep it short, i demonstrated how everything was done in the first long post. :)

this is done with points [tex]BCD[/tex]

the model looks like this: [tex]\hat{y}_{4} = 4x^2 - 2[/tex]

all but the first point were 0's. ill plug in the number

[tex]\hat{y}_{4} = 4(o)^2 - 2 = -2[/tex]

[tex](1 - 2)^2 = 1[/tex]

so for: [tex]\hat{y}_{4} = 4x^2 - 2; \sum(y - \hat{y}_{4})^2 = 1[/tex]
 
  • #12
In your original post you said the points were A(0,1), B(2, 6), C(3, 10)
Writing y= ax2+ bx+ c, those give a02[/sub]+ b0+ c= 1 or c= 1, 4a+ 2b+ c= 6, and 9a+ 3b+ c= 10. Since c= 1, the last two are 4a+ 2b+ 1= c or 4a+ 2b= 5 and 9a+ 3b+ 1= 10 or 9a+ 3b= 9. If you multiply the first of those equations by 3 you get 12a+ 6b= 15 and if you multiply the second by 2 you get 18a+ 6b= 18. Subtracting the first from the second, 6a= 3 so a= 1/2. Then 4a+ 2b= 5 becomes 2+ 2b= 5 so 2b= 3 and b= 3/2, not b= 3.

The equation if y= (1/2)x2+ (3/2)x+ 1.

But later you give A(0, 1), B(1, 2), C(2, 6), D(3, 10). The equation y= (1/2)x2+ (3/2)x+ 1 gives y(0)= (1/2)(0)+ (3/2)(0)+ 1= 1, y(1)= (1/2)(1)+ (3/2)(1)+ 1= 3, y(2)= (1/2)4+ (3/2)2+ 1= 6, and y(3)= (1/2)9+ (3/2)3+ 1= 10. That is correct for all except B(1,2) which was NOT in the original problem. You can, in general, fit a parabola through 3 given points but not 4. There is no quadratic function whose graph will pass through all 4 points.

If you have 4 points, you should try a cubic formula: y= ax3+ bx2+ cx+ d so that the 4 points will give 4 equations for the 4 coefficients.
 

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