WAEC Mathematics 2011 Question 38

Question 38

Number Bases

Given that 124x = 7(14x), find the value of x.

  1. A.12
  2. B.11
  3. C.9
  4. D.8
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (8)

Explanation

x2 + 2x + 4 = 7(x + 4), so x2 − 5x − 24 = 0 and (x − 8)(x + 3) = 0. The base must be positive: x = 8.