Question which-

2.4 Equivalent Expressions - Factoring trinomials and special products
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Which of the following expressions has a factor of x+2b, where b is a positive integer constant?

A.

3 x 2 + 7 x + 14 b

B.

3 x 2 + 28 x + 14 b

C.

3 x 2 + 42 x + 14 b

D.

3 x 2 + 49 x + 14 b

Which of the following expressions has a factor of x + 2 b , where b

Hard-difficulty · SAT Math · Equivalent Expressions — Factoring trinomials and special products. Read the question above, select your answer, and check the full explanation below to understand exactly why the correct choice works.

Answer explanation

Choice D is correct. Since each choice has a term of 3x2, which can be written as 3xx, and each choice has a term of 14b, which can be written as 72b, the expression that has a factor of x+2b, where b is a positive integer constant, can be represented as 3x+7x+2b. Using the distributive property of multipliion, this expression is equivalent to 3xx+2b+7x+2b, or 3x2+6xb+7x+14b. Combining the x-terms in this expression yields 3x2+7+6bx+14b. It follows that the coefficient of the x-term is equal to 7+6b. Thus, from the given choices, 7+6b must be equal to 7 , 28 , 42 , or 49 . Therefore, 6b must be equal to 0 , 21 , 35 , or 42 , respectively, and b must be equal to 06216356, or 426, respectively. Of these four values of b , only 426, or 7 , is a positive integer. It follows that 7+6b must be equal to 49 because this is the only choice for which the value of b is a positive integer constant. Therefore, the expression that has a factor of x+2b is 3x2+49x+14b.

Choice A is incorrect. If this expression has a factor of x+2b, then the value of b is 0 , which isn't positive.

Choice B is incorrect. If this expression has a factor of x+2b, then the value of b is 216, which isn't an integer.

Choice C is incorrect. If this expression has a factor of x+2b, then the value of b is 35 6 , which isn't an integer.