Question 8 • CMS 2026-2027 NC Math 1 CREDIT RECOVERY
A square picture with a side length of 4 inches needs to be enlarged. The final area needs to be 81 square inches. Which equation can be used to solve for x , the increase in side length of the square in inches?
Answer
A
x squared plus 8 x minus 65 is equal to 0
B
x squared plus 4 x minus 65 is equal to 0
C
x squared plus 8 x minus 81 is equal to 0
D
x squared plus 4 x minus 81 is equal to 0
Explanation
The enlarged square’s side length is 4 + x inches, so its area is (4 + x)². Set this equal to 81 and expand: x² + 8x + 16 = 81, which rearranges to x² + 8x − 65 = 0. This is choice C.
AI-written and checked against the verified answer.