Error Analysis: room area said to be given by x^2+2x+8=0; can you find actual area?

[Genise]

Janjoe told his classmate that the area of his bedroom is x^2+2x+8=0. Can you find its area? Why or why not?

 

[Deleted member 4993]

Janjoe told his classmate that the area of his bedroom is x^2+2x+8=0. Can you find its area? Why or why not?

Yes .. I found it ... right there......

Literal reading of the problem tells me that area = 0. Some important information are missing.

 

[mmm4444bot]

WHY name it "error analysis"?

Maybe it's because Janjoe gave their classmate incorrect information, and analysis is required to find the error(s).

Subhotosh noticed one error; no-one can build a room with zero square footage.

My guess is that the exercise author intended symbol x to represent the bedroom's area, but the exercise statement was improperly worded.