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Reviewed CSCA Mathematics question · Standard

What is the domain of the function f(x) = sqrt(9 - x^2) / (x^2 - 4)?

  1. [-3, 3] \ {-2, 2}
  2. (-3, 3) \ {-2, 2}
  3. [-3, 3]
  4. (-∞, -3] ∪ [3, ∞)
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer

A. [-3, 3] \ {-2, 2}

Principle or equation

The radicand must be nonnegative and the denominator must not be zero.

Why this answer is correct

For sqrt(9 - x^2) to be defined, 9 - x^2 ≥ 0, so -3 ≤ x ≤ 3. Denominator x^2 - 4 ≠ 0 gives x ≠ ±2. Thus domain is [-3, 3] \ {-2, 2}.

Example

For sqrt(4 - x^2)/(x - 1), domain is [-2, 2] \ {1}.

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