Farmer mckinney has a plot of tomato plants. there are 5 tomato plants in the first row, 6 tomato plants in the second row, 9 tomato plants in the third row, 14 tomato plants in the fourth row, and 21 tomato plants in the fifth row. if this pattern continues, how many tomato plants will there be in the sixth row?

starting with:    

5 + x - 12 = 2x - 7   

5 + x - 12 - x = 2x - 7 - x (subtract x from both sides)   

5 - 12 = x - 7 (combine and cancel x's from both sides)   

5 - 12 + 7 = x - 7 + 7 (add 7 to both sides)   

0 = x (add numbers together on both sides)       

so in order for the equation to be true, x must be 0.   

trying x = -0.5   

5 + x - 12 = 2x - 7 (original equation)   

5 + -0.5 - 12 = 2(-0.5) - 7 (plug in value of x)   

5 + -0.5 - 12 = -1 - 7 (did multiplication)   

-7.5 = -8 (did addition on both sides)       

since -7.5 is obviously not equal to -8, the value of -0.5 for x is wrong.   

trying x = 0   

5 + x - 12 = 2x - 7 (original equation)   

5 + 0 - 12 = 2(0) - 7 (plug in value of x)   

5 + 0 - 12 = 0 - 7 (did multiplication)   

-7 = -7 (did addition on both sides)       

since -7 equals -7, that demonstrates that the value of 0 for x is correct.   

trying x = 1   

5 + x - 12 = 2x - 7 (original equation)   

5 + 1 - 12 = 2(1) - 7 (plug in value of x)   

5 + 1 - 12 = 2 - 7 (did multiplication)   

-6 = -5 (did addition on both sides)       

since -6 is obviously not equal to -5, the value of 1 for x is wrong.

the correct option is:

b. a value of the variable that makes the polynomial equal to zero.

the root or roots of a polynomial are the values of the variable that makes the polynomial equal to 0. we can find the roots of a polynomial making the expression equal to 0 and then, isolating the variable (it it has just one variable).

for example, given the following polynomial:

the root or zero of the polynomial, can be found by making the expression equal to 0, and then, isolating the variable, so, finding the root we have:

therefore, we have that the root of the polynomial is equal to 2.

we must remember that the number of roots that a polynomial can have, will depend on the degree of the polynomial, a first degree polynomial have will have one single root, a second degree polynomial (quadratic expression) may have two roots and so.

hence the correct option is:

b. a value of the variable that makes the polynomial equal to zero.

have a nice day!