The line y = –11x – 7 is tangent to the parabola y = ax² + bx + 1 at point P. This means that the line and the parabola share a common point, and the line's slope is equal to the parabola's slope at that point.
The slope of the line y = –11x – 7 is –11. The slope of the parabola y = ax² + bx + 1 at point P is equal to 2a + b.
Since the line and the parabola share a common point, and the line's slope is equal to the parabola's slope at that point, we have:
-11 = 2a + b
We are given that the x-coordinate of P is –2. This means that the point P is (–2, y).
We can substitute this point into the equation of the parabola to find the value of y:
y = a(–2)² + b(–2) + 1
y = 4a – 2b + 1
We are given that the line y = –11x – 7 is tangent to the parabola at point P. This means that the point P lies on the line y = –11x – 7.
We can substitute the point P into the equation of the line to find the value of y:
y = –11(–2) – 7
y = 15
We now have two equations with two unknowns:
-11 = 2a + b
15 = 4a – 2b
We can solve these equations for a and b.
Adding the two equations, we get:
4 = 6a
a = 2/3
Substituting a = 2/3 into the first equation, we get:
-11 = 4(2/3) + b
b = -19/3
Therefore, a + b = 2/3 + (-19/3) = -17/3.
So the answer is -17/3