Question

Which expression is equivalent to x2−17x−60
?
A.(x−20)(x+3)

B.(x−5)(x−12)

C.(x−20)(x−3)

D.(x+5)(x−12)

Answer 1

To factor the expression \( x^2 - 17x - 60 \), we need to find two numbers that multiply to \(-60\) (the constant term) and add up to \(-17\) (the coefficient of the \(x\) term).

The two numbers that satisfy these conditions are \(-20\) and \(3\) because:

- \(-20 + 3 = -17\)
- \(-20 \times 3 = -60\)

Thus, we can factor the quadratic as:

\[
x^2 - 17x - 60 = (x - 20)(x + 3)
\]

So, the correct answer is:

**A. \((x−20)(x+3)\)**.