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Nonlinear equations in one variable and systems of equations in two variables SAT question

Math · Advanced Math · Hard · Answer it here, explanation included.

In the given equation, is a constant. The equation has exactly one solution. What is the value of ?

Enter a number or fraction (like 3/17 or 0.176). Press Enter to check.

ExplanationShow

The correct answer is . A quadratic equation in the form , where , , and are constants, has exactly one solution when its discriminant, , is equal to . In the given equation, , and . Substituting for and for in  yields , or . Since the given equation has exactly one solution, . Subtracting from both sides of this equation yields . Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Therefore, the value of is .

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