Quadratics Lab
Factor, complete the square and use the formula, step by step.
Quadratics Lab follows the path a student takes from Algebra 1 into Algebra 2. It begins with factoring, using algebra tiles and rectangles to show what the factors mean, then moves to solving by the zero product property, square roots and completing the square.
The quadratic formula and the discriminant come next, followed by parabolas, vertex form and word problems about projectile height, area and borders. At the top level, complex solutions join the mix. Every graph, set of tiles and rectangle is drawn from the same numbers as its question, so the picture always agrees with the answer.
What children practice
- Factor trinomials, common factors, differences of squares and perfect squares
- Solve equations with the zero product property
- Solve with square roots and write answers in simplest radical form
- Complete the square and use the quadratic formula
- Use the discriminant to tell how many real solutions there are
- Find the vertex and axis of a parabola and solve projectile and area problems
Levels
- Level 1: Factoring
- Level 2: Zero product
- Level 3: Square roots
- Level 4: Complete the square
- Level 5: Quadratic formula
- Level 6: Discriminant
- Level 7: Parabolas and stories
- Level 8: Course mix
How it works
- Eight levels move from factoring to the discriminant, then to parabolas and stories, and a final level mixes every skill.
- Many questions are multiple choice, while others use a keypad, a step-by-step chain of choices, a sorting board or an ordering task.
- A level opens once your child has five right answers and has played through the practice timer.
- Spoken prompts use words rather than symbols, and the equations sit on the cards and answer buttons.
Best for: A good fit for grades 9 to 11 when a student is learning to factor, solving quadratic equations for the first time or reviewing before Algebra 2.
Tip for parents: Ask your child to explain why the answer to a factoring question multiplies back to the original expression. Checking by multiplying is a habit that catches most mistakes.
Questions parents ask
Which methods for solving quadratics does the game teach?
Levels 2 through 5 cover solving by factoring, taking square roots, completing the square and the quadratic formula. Level 6 adds the discriminant, so students can choose a method and predict the number of solutions.
Does it include word problems?
Yes. Level 7 has projectile height using feet and seconds, plus area and border problems and questions about the vertex and the axis of a parabola.
Are complex numbers part of it?
Only at the top. The Course mix level includes solutions written in the form 2 plus or minus 3i, for equations whose discriminant is negative. Earlier levels use real solutions only.
Ready to try it?
Quadratics Lab is free with a parent account. A parent adds a child profile, and the child's progress is saved.