Factorising Quadratics
Change two numbers until they multiply to make c and add to make b, with a table that checks as you go.
About this activity
Nine quadratics to factorise. Students change two numbers with + and − buttons while a table shows what they multiply and add to, and the brackets build themselves. It works up through negative numbers and the difference of two squares, then one to factorise and solve, and two with a number in front of x² (Higher tier). The numbers change every time. The content is the same on every exam board (AQA, Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas).
How to use Factorising Quadratics
- Factorising Quadratics is a free Maths activity for Years 10 to 11 that takes about 12 minutes. Try it on this page on a computer, tablet or phone: there’s nothing to download.
- In a lesson, choose Show on the board to play it together as a class.
- To set it for a class, a teacher shares it and gets a code: students type the 6-digit code at lycolearn.co.uk/join with their first name and the first letter of their surname (no accounts needed), and their scores come back to the teacher.
Students will
- Factorise x² + bx + c by finding two numbers that multiply to c and add to b
- Use the signs of b and c to choose the signs of the two numbers
- Solve a quadratic equation by factorising
- Higher tier: factorise ax² + bx + c
Teaching tips
- The last two parts are Higher tier: Foundation students can stop after part 7.
- Ask students to predict the signs of the two numbers before they touch the buttons.