16Hit1600
Advanced MathVery hardProduct of x-coordinates of intersections

Advanced Math practice question

In the xy-plane, the circle x² + y² = 25 and the line y = x + 1 intersect at two points. What is the product of the x-coordinates of those two points?

Answer: -12

Substituting: x² + (x + 1)² = 25, so 2x² + 2x − 24 = 0 and x² + x − 12 = 0. The product of the roots is −12 (the roots are 3 and −4).

Common wrong answers

If you answered 12
12 has the wrong sign; one x-coordinate is negative.
If you answered -1
−1 is the sum of the roots, not the product.
If you answered -24
−24 is the constant before dividing the equation by 2.

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