To solve the equation \( 25x^2 - 196 = 0 \) by factoring, we can rewrite it as follows:
- Rearrange the equation: \( 25x^2 = 196 \)
- Divide both sides by 25: \( x^2 = \frac{196}{25} \)
- Take the square root of both sides:
\[ x = \pm \sqrt{\frac{196}{25}} = \pm \frac{\sqrt{196}}{\sqrt{25}} = \pm \frac{14}{5} \]
Thus, the solutions are \( x = \frac{14}{5} \) and \( x = -\frac{14}{5} \).
Therefore, the correct answer is:
x = −14/5, x = 14/5