2. Of the three regions, which was a. the parent nation?
b. the parent nation’s colony?
c. a foreign market?

x = 7

step-by-step explanation:

equating the expression for area to the given area

2x² - 7x - 4 = 45 ( subtract 45 from both sides )

2x² - 7x - 49 = 0 ← in standard form

to factor consider the factors of the product of the coefficient of the x² term and the constant term which sum to give the coefficient of the x- term

product = 2 × - 49 = - 98 and sum = - 7

the factors are - 14 and + 7

use these factors to split the middle term

2x² - 14x + 7x - 49 = 0 ( factor the first/second and third/fourth terms )

2x(x - 7) + 7(x - 7) = 0 ← factor out (x - 7)

(x - 7)(2x + 7) = 0

equate each factor to zero and solve for x

x - 7 = 0 ⇒ x = 7

2x + 7 = 0 ⇒ 2x = - 7 ⇒ x = -

thus the positive value for x is x = 7