EQUATIONS CONTAINING VARIABLES UNDER ONE OR MORE RADICALS



Note:


Example 1: tex2html_wrap_inline96

First make a note of the fact that you cannot take the square root of a negative number. Therefore, tex2html_wrap_inline98 Add 4 to both sides of the equation so that the radical term is isolated.

tex2html_wrap_inline100




Square both sides of the equation.

tex2html_wrap_inline102

x - 10 = 16




Add 10 to both sides of the equation

x = 26



The answer is x = 26.




Check the solution by substituting 26 in the original equation for x. If the left side of the equation equals the right side of the equation after the substitution, you have found the correct answer.




You can also check the answer by graphing the left side of the equation: tex2html_wrap_inline114

Since the right side of the equation is 0, the right side of the equation represents the x-axis. The solution will be the x-intercept. The x-intercept (and hence the solution) on the graph is 26.





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If you would like to test yourself by working some problems similar to this example, click on problem.

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Author: Nancy Marcus

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