16Hit1600
Advanced MathMediumSimplifying a perfect-square trinomial over a linear factor

Advanced Math practice question

For x ≠ 3, (x² − 6x + 9)/(x − 3) is equivalent to x − k. What is the value of k?

Answer: 3

x² − 6x + 9 = (x − 3)², and dividing by (x − 3) leaves x − 3. So k = 3.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 6
6 is the middle coefficient.
If you answered 9
9 is the constant of the numerator, not after simplifying.
If you answered -3
−3 would give x + 3, the wrong sign.

More Advanced Math questions

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