QOTD 5/11/2026

The function $n$ is defined by $n(d) = 17 - 3d$. If $n(b) = -2$, what is the value of $b$?

A) -5 B) $\nicefrac{19}{3}$ C) 11 D) 23

The correct answer is (B).

current priority level - we all want this one

We get why many people will pick (D). We’re just going to make sure that this does not happen further down the road.

We also get why many people will click on (A). This is something that we really want to make sure does not happen as you become better and better trained.

Clicking on (C) here is kind of a trainwreck.🫣

If we were meant to plug in the -2 as ‘d’, the -2 would have been inside the parentheses. The question would have been, “what is the value of $n(-2)$?” What we’re talking about here is a foundational idea of functions

We are meant to set the original function equal to -2(which is another foundational functions thing to do). Doing so, we have written out….

• $17 - 3d = -2$

Following through with the very powerful idea of choosing to WRITE OUT basically everything, we can subtract 17 from both sides to then arrive at….

• $-3d = -29$

Dividing both sides by -3, we arrive at the correct answer of (B).

If you got this question correct and still read through this analysis, cool. We’re not patting ourselves on the back too much. This is execution of a normal day’s business. If you did not get this question correct, we take some thing(s) away from this analysis, yes? And, such a misfire is productively behind us.

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