SAT Math · Nonlinear equations in one variable · hard

The equation x² - 11x + c = 0 has two real solutions that differ by 7. What is the value of c?

The equation x2−11x+c=0x^2 - 11x + c = 0 has two real solutions that differ by 7. What is the value of cc?

Answer and explanation

Answer: A: 18

Let the roots be rr and r+7r + 7. The sum of the roots of x2−11x+c=0x^2 - 11x + c = 0 is 11, so 2r+7=112r + 7 = 11 and r=2r = 2. The roots are 2 and 9, and the product is c=2×9=18c = 2 \times 9 = 18, choice A. Check: x2−11x+18=(x−2)(x−9)x^2 - 11x + 18 = (x - 2)(x - 9). Choice B (28) comes from using 7, the difference, as one of the roots, giving roots 4 and 7 that differ by 3. Choice C (11) is the sum of the roots. Choice D (4) is 11−71\frac{11 - 7}{1}, a difference misread as the product. The constant term equals the product of the roots.

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