Question

Read the excerpt from Brown v. Board of Education.

[T]here are findings below that the Negro and white schools involved have been equalized, or are being equalized, with respect to buildings, curricula, qualifications and salaries of teachers, and other "tangible" factors.

The Supreme Court is most likely interested in these findings because it hopes to determine whether
outdated schools can compete in modern society.
students of varying races have similar aptitudes.
teachers treat students of varying backgrounds equally.
separate systems of education can be equal.

Answer 1

separate systems of education can be equal.

Explanation: the Court is addressing whether, even when tangible factors (buildings, curricula, teacher qualifications/salaries) are equalized, segregation itself still produces inequality—i.e., whether "separate but equal" is truly equal.