Quadratic Equation

Many people believe that Babylonians were the first to solve quadratic equations. For instance, they knew how to find two positive numbers with a given positive sum and a given positive product, and this problem is equivalent to solving a quadratic equation of the form x2 – px + q = 0. Greek mathematician Euclid developed a geometrical approach for finding out lengths which, in our present day terminology, are solutions of quadratic equations. Solving of quadratic equations, in general form, is often credited to ancient Indian mathematicians. In fact, Brahmagupta (C.E.598–665) gave an explicit formula to solve a quadratic equation of the form ax2 + bx = c.

Later,Sridharacharya (C.E. 1025) derived a formula, now known as the quadratic formula, (as quoted by Bhaskara II) for solving a quadratic equation by the method of completing the square. An Arab mathematician Al-Khwarizmi (about C.E. 800) also studied quadratic equations of different types. Abraham bar Hiyya Ha-Nasi, in his book ‘Liber embadorum’ published in Europe in C.E. 1145 gave complete solutions of different quadratic equations.

x2 – px + q = 0