A quadratic equation is drawn as a curve on a set of axes. This type of curve is called a parabola and it is symmetrical. To draw the graph we need coordinates. We generate these coordinates by ...

Plot of a quadratic equation showing the classic parabola, made with NumPy and Matplotlib. Linear equation 3x + 5 plotted with SymPy. Plot of a Quadratic Equation created in SymPy.

Quadratic equations are basic to algebra and are the math behind parabolas, projectiles, satellite dishes and the golden ratio.

There are other ways to solve the quadratic equation, such as factoring, completing the square, or graphing, but using the quadratic formula is often the most convenient way.