In this question, candidates were expected to expand both sides of the sign of equality and bring like terms together to obtain x2 + (3 - 3k)x + (2 – 7k) = 0. Since this equation had equal roots, then it implied that (3-3k)2 = 4(2-7k) i.e. 9k2 + 10k + 1 = 0. Solving this equation gave k = -1/9 or -1.
The report stated that although majority of the candidates attempted this question and performed well in it, the challenge that many candidates had was the recall of the condition for the equality of roots.
