Question

How could Brent use a rectangle to model the factors of x2 – 7x + 6?

He could draw a diagram of a rectangle with dimensions x – 3 and x – 4 and then show the area is equivalent to the sum of x2, –3x, –4x, and half of 12.
He could draw a diagram of a rectangle with dimensions x + 7 and x – 1 and then show the area is equivalent to the sum of x2, 7x, –x, and 6.
He could draw a diagram of a rectangle with dimensions x – 1 and x – 6 and then show the area is equivalent to the sum of x2, –x, –6x, and 6.
He could draw a diagram of a rectangle with dimensions x – 4 and x + 3 and then show the area is equivalent to the sum of x2, –4x, 3x, and half of –12.

Answer 1

The correct choice is the third one.

(x − 1)(x − 6) = x^2 − x − 6x + 6 = x^2 − 7x + 6, so a rectangle with sides x − 1 and x − 6 models the factors.