Step 1: Recall the condition for equal roots.
A quadratic equation ax2+bx+c=0 has equal roots if its discriminant D=b2−4ac is zero.
Step 2: Compute the discriminant.
Here, a=9, b=3k, and c=4. The discriminant is:
D=(3k)2−4(9)(4).
Simplify:
D=9k2−144.
Step 3: Set the discriminant to zero and solve for k.
9k2−144=0⟹9k2=144⟹k2=16⟹k=±4.
Final Answer: The value of k is ±4, which corresponds to option (3).