# Quadratic Equations - why 'quadratic'?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quadratic-equations-why-quadratic/49660>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 12, 2001, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quadratic-equations-why-quadratic/49660 "2001-01-12T06:17:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![padabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@padabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/padabe)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2001, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quadratic-equations-why-quadratic/49660/1 "2001-01-12T06:17:18Z")

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It’s been 8 years since I’ve taken Algebra, and I’ve forgotten whether I’ve ever known… What does ‘4’ have to do with it? 2nd degree polynomial, 2 solutions…  
I suppose that some parabolas have values in all 4 quadrants, but so what?  
I can’t believe this question is keeping me up at night.

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**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2001, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quadratic-equations-why-quadratic/49660/2 "2001-01-12T06:34:24Z")

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How about this: [Quadri–](http://www.bartleby.com/61/81/Q0008100.html) means either 4 or square. A [quadrate](http://www.bartleby.com/61/72/Q0007200.html) is a square (which is an object with 4 sides). [Quadratic](http://www.bartleby.com/61/73/Q0007300.html)is derived from quadrate, and describes equations that have terms of the second degree, i.e. terms that are **squared**.