tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399127082527147995.post7943083068058576135..comments2023-07-11T11:33:04.292-04:00Comments on Time, Effort, and Focus: this week's Math Beast ChallengeKevin Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01328790917314282058noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399127082527147995.post-3723366678202508862012-01-17T02:03:15.126-05:002012-01-17T02:03:15.126-05:00This one seems pretty straightforward. We're ...This one seems pretty straightforward. We're given that<br /><br />[(x - 5)(x + 2)]/[(x + 5)(x - 2)] = 1<br /><br />Multiply the equation by the denominator, and we get<br /><br />(x - 5)(x + 2) = (x + 5)(x - 2)<br /><br />Use FOIL to multiply each side out, and we see that<br /><br />x^2 - 3x - 10 = x^2 + 3x - 10<br /><br />Subtract (x^2) and add 10 to both sides, and we're left with<br /><br />-3x = 3x<br /><br />for which only one solution is possible:<br /><br />x = 0<br /><br />Since x = 0, <br /><br />Quantity A is 5<br />Quantity B is 4<br /><br />...so the answer is (A).Kevin Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01328790917314282058noreply@blogger.com