Solve.
-The sum of a number and 10 times its reciprocal is -7. Find the number.
A) -6 or 1
B)-2 or -5
C)2or 5
D)-2

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Let's call the number x. The problem states that the sum of x and 10 times its reciprocal (which is 1/x) is -7. Using algebra, we can set up the equation:

x + 10(1/x) = -7

Multiplying both sides by x to get rid of the denominator gives us:

x^2 + 10 = -7x

Bringing all the terms to one side gives:

x^2 + 7x + 10 = 0

Factoring this quadratic equation gives:

(x + 2)(x + 5) = 0

So the possible values for x are -2 and -5. Therefore, the best choice is B.

Solve. -The Sum of a Number and 10 Times Its Reciprocal