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 has two real solutions that differ by 7. What is the value of ?
Answer and explanation
Answer: A: 18
Let the roots be and . The sum of the roots of is 11, so and . The roots are 2 and 9, and the product is , choice A. Check: . 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 , a difference misread as the product. The constant term equals the product of the roots.
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