PSAT Math Multiple-Choice Question 452: Answer and Explanation

Question: 452

What value of x satisfies the equation ?

• A.
• B.
• C. 3
• D.

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A

Difficulty: Hard

Getting to the Answer: When something doesn't factor cleanly, consider completing the square or using the quadratic formula. Start by dividing the entire equation by 4 so that the x²-coefficient is 1:

Factoring won't work here. The coefficient b is even, so try completing the square:

The question asks for just one solution, so (A) is the correct answer.