Which one is considerd a perfect square
a) x^2-14x+9
or
b) x^2+6x-9
Neither, if you typed them correctly.
To determine if an expression is a perfect square, you need to check if it can be factored into the square of a binomial.
Let's factor the given expressions to see if they are perfect squares:
a) x^2 - 14x + 9
To factor this expression, we need to find two numbers that multiply to give 9 and add up to -14. We can see that -9 and -1 satisfy these conditions. So, we can factor the expression as:
(x - 9)(x - 1)
Since this expression cannot be factored into the square of a binomial, it is not a perfect square.
b) x^2 + 6x - 9
To factor this expression, we need to find two numbers that multiply to give -9 and add up to 6. We can see that 3 and -3 satisfy these conditions. So, we can factor the expression as:
(x + 3)(x - 3)
Again, this expression cannot be factored into the square of a binomial, so it is not a perfect square.
Therefore, neither of the given expressions is considered a perfect square.