16Hit1600
Advanced MathVery hardCoefficients of a product of three binomials

Advanced Math practice question

For all values of x, (x + 1)(x + 2)(x + 3) = x³ + ax² + bx + c, where a, b, and c are constants. What is the value of a + c?

Answer: 12

(x + 1)(x + 2) = x² + 3x + 2, and multiplying by (x + 3) gives x³ + 6x² + 11x + 6, so a + c = 12.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 11
11 is b alone.
If you answered 17
17 is a + b.
If you answered 23
23 is a + b + c.

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