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Quantitative Aptitude
Algebra - 2
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Quadratic Equations
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Ujakar and Keshab attempted to solve a quadratic equation. Ujakar made a mistake in

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writing down the constant term. He ended up with the roots (4, 3). Keshab made a
mistake in writing down the coefficient of x. He got the root as (3, 2). What will be the

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exact roots of the original quadratic equation?

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(CAT 2001)
(1) (6, 1) (2) (–3, –4)

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(3) (4, 3)
t (4) (–4, –3)

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Question – 2
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If both a and b belong to the set {1, 2, 3, 4}, then the number of equations of the form
ax2 + bx + 1 = 0 having real roots is

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(1) 10 (2) 7 (3) 6 (4) 12

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Question – 3
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If the sum of the roots of the equation x2 + ax + 1 = 0 is equal to the sum of the squares

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of their reciprocals, then which of the following is a possible value of a?

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(1) –1 (2) 2 (3) 1 (4) 4

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Question – 5
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If the sum of the roots of (a + 1)x2 + (2a + 3)x + (3a + 4) = 0 is –1, then the product of
the roots is

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(1) –2 (2) 2 (3) 1 (4) 6

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Question – 6
If x

1 x 1
  2 , then the value of x is
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1 x x 6

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(1)
6
or
13 13
4
(2)
3
2
or
2
3
(3)
5
2
or
2
3
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(4)
9
or
13 13
4

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Question – 7
Find the value of 6  6  6 ...  .
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(1) 6 (2) 3 (3) 2 (4) 2.5
2

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Question – 8
If, x 
1

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s
1
2

s
1
2

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1
2
1
2

then find the value of x

2  ........

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(1) 2 1

gh (2) 2 1
(3) 1

Ni (4) Cannot be determined uniquely

Question – 9
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Let f(x) = ax2 + bx + c, where a, b and c are certain constants and a  0. It is
known that f (5) = –3f (2) and that 3 is a root of f(x) = 0.

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(CAT 2008)
What is the other root of f(x) = 0?
(1) –7 (2) –4 (3) 2

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(5) Cannot be determined

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Question – 10
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Let f(x) = ax2 + bx + c, where a, b and c are certain constants and a  0. It is

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known that f (5) = –3f (2) and that 3 is a root of f(x) = 0.

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(CAT 2008)
What is the value of a + b + c?
(1) 9 (2) 14 (3) 13

t C (4) 37
(5) Cannot be determined

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Question – 11
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A quadratic function f(x) attains a maximum of 3 at x = 1. The value of the function at
x = 0 is 1. What is the value of f(x) at x = 10?

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(CAT 2007)
(1) – 159
(5) – 119
(2) – 110 (3) – 180

t C (4) – 105

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Question – 12
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The following curve represents a quadratic function y = ax2 + bx + c. Determine the sign

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of the coefficient of x2 and x. Also find the sign of the constrant term.

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(Figure drawn on scale)

+ve y-axis

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Question – 13
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Let f(x) be a quadratic expression with a positive number coefficient of x2. If the roots of

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f(x) = 0 lie in the interval (–1, 1) , then which of the following is necessarily true?

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(1) f(1) > 0 and f(–1) > 0
(2) f(1) > 0 and f(–1) < 0
(3) f(1) < 0 and f(–1) < 0

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(4) f(1) < 0 and f(–1) > 0

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Question – 14
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If a, b, c are real numbers and f(x) = ax2 + bx + c such that a + b + c = 3 and f(x + y)
10

= f(x) + f(y) + xy for all real x and y, then  f(n) is equal to

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n 1

(1) 165 (2) 190 (3) 255 (4) 330

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Question – 16
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The value of a quadratic function f(x) is negative for all real values of x, except for x = 2.
If f(0) = –10, then find the value of f(–2).

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(1) – 40 (2) – 80 (3) – 60 (4) Data Inconsistent

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Question – 17
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Find the maximum and the minimum possible values of the function f(x) = 2x2 + 7x – 5,
where x is a real number.

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(1) ,  22 (2) 89,  23 (3) ,
87
4
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(4) ,
–89
8

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Question – 18
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If 0 < p < 1, then roots of the equation (1 – p) x2 + 4x + p = 0 ares
(1) Both 0

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(2) Real and both negative
(3) Imaginary
(4) Real and both positive
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Question – 19
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Find the sum of all possible real values of p for which the equations 2x2 – x + 3p = 0
and x2 – x – p = 0 have a common root.

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(1) 
4
25
(2) 
21
4
(3) 
29
4

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(4) 0

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Question – 20
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Polynomials
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If x = 1, 2, –3 are three of the roots of the polynomial P(x) = Ax4 + Bx3 + cx2 + Dx + E,
then how many of the following statement(s) is(are) always true?

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A. P(2) = 0
B. P(x) = (x – 1) (x – 2) (x + 3) is the polynomial.
C.

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There is a fourth root, which could be either real or imaginary.
D.
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If E = 12 and A = 2, then the fourth root is –1.

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(1) One (2) Two

Ni (3) three (4) Four

Question – 1
If f(x) denotes x3 + 3x2 + 3x, find f(x + 1).
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(1) x3 + 4x2 + 5

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(2) 2x3 + 6x2 + 3
(3) 3x3 + 12x2 + 4x + 1
(4) x3 + 6x2 + 12x + 7
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Question – 2
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(x – 3) is a factor of f(x) = x3 – 5x2 + px + 9. If all the roots are integers, then
A. What is the value of p?

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B. The roots of f(x) are ___, ___ and ____.

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Question – 3
(x + 4) is a factor of f(x) = 3x3 + px2 – 30x + 24.
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A. Find P.

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B. Solve for f(x) = 0, if all the roots are integers.

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Question – 4
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If (x + a) is a factor of x3 + ax2 + ax + 4. Then the values “a” can take are
(1) 2 (2) –2 (3) Either of them

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Question – 5
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If a,b,c are real numbers such that a2 + b2 + 2c2 – 4a + 2c – 2bc + 5 = 0, then what is
the value of a + b – c?

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(1) 0 (2) 2 (3) –2 (4) 4

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Question – 6
If x4 +
1
= 47 (x > 0), then find the value of x3 + 1
.
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x4 x3

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(1) 18 (2) 27 (3) 9 (4) 12

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Question – 7
If a + b + c = 0, where a  b  c then
a2
 2
b2
 2
c2

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s
2
2a  bc 2b  ac 2c  ab
(1) 0 (2) 1 (3) –1

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(4) abc

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Question – 8
 2 2 2

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If x  5y  z  2y(2x  z), then which of the following statements is(are) necessarily
true?

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A. x = 2y
B. x = 2z
C. 2x = z

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(1) Only A (2) B and C (3) A and B (4) None of these

Question – 9
Simplify:
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2433  2573  5003  3  243  257  500
2432  2572  5002  (243  257  257
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(1) 5000
 500  243  500)
(2) 1000 (3) 900
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(4) 960

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Question – 10
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If |x2 + 1|, then find the value of (x + 2) (x + 1) (x) (x – 1) (x – 2) .... 1000 terms
(1) –2 (2) 0 (3) –1

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(4) > 0

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Question – 11