16Hit1600
Advanced MathVery hardRatio of symmetric expressions under a zero-sum condition

Advanced Math practice question

If a + b + c = 0 and ab + bc + ca ≠ 0, what is the value of (a² + b² + c²)/(ab + bc + ca)?

Answer: -2

(a + b + c)² = a² + b² + c² + 2(ab + bc + ca) = 0, so a² + b² + c² = −2(ab + bc + ca), and the ratio is −2.

Common wrong answers

If you answered 0
0 would need a² + b² + c² = 0, which forces a = b = c = 0 and makes the denominator zero.
If you answered 2
2 has the wrong sign.
If you answered -1
−1 forgets the factor 2 in the expansion.

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