OTHER EQUATIONS IN ONE VARIABLE

If an algebraic equation contains radicals or rational exponents, we can solve it by raising both sides of the equation
to the same integer power. When we do this, we must apply the following theorem.

Theorem 1 If 𝐸 and 𝐹 are algebraic expressions, then

𝐸=𝐹
is an algebraic equation, and its solution set is a subset of the solution set of the equation
𝐸𝑛 = 𝐹 𝑛
where n is any positive integer.

The theorem follows immediately from the fact that if 𝑎 and 𝑏 are complex numbers and 𝑎 = 𝑏, then 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑏 𝑛 , where
𝑛 is any positive integer.

Illustration 1
The equation
𝑥=5
has the solution set {5}. If we square each side, we obtain the equation
𝑥 2 = 25
which has the solution set {±5}. The solution set of the first equation is a subset of the solution set of the second.
This result agrees with Theorem 1.

Theorem 1 is used to solve an equation having term involving one or more radicals. The first step is to obtain an
equivalent equation having the term involving the most complicated radical on one side and all the other terms on
the other side. Then, applying Theorem 1, we raised both sides of the equation to the power corresponding to the
index of the radical.

Illustration 2
To solve the equation
√2𝑥 + 5 + 𝑥 = 5
we first add −𝑥 to both sides and get the equivalent equation
√2𝑥 + 5 = 5 − 𝑥 (1)
Now, with the radical alone on one side of the equation, we apply Theorem 1 with 𝑛 = 2 and square both sides
to obtain
2 2
(√2𝑥 + 5) = (5 − 𝑥)
2𝑥 + 5 = 25 − 10𝑥 + 𝑥 2
2
𝑥 − 12𝑥 + 20 = 0
(𝑥 − 10)(𝑥 − 2) = 0

𝑥 − 10 = 0 𝑥−2 = 0
𝑥 = 10 𝑥 = 2
We need to check the solutions we have solved because according to Theorem 1, the solution of the original
equation is a subset what we solved.
√2𝑥 + 5 + 𝑥 =? 5 √2𝑥 + 5 + 𝑥 =? 5
√2(10) + 5 + (10) =? 5 √2(2) + 5 + (2) =? 5
15 ≠ 5 5 = 5
1

10 is not a solution 2 is a solution

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∴ The solution set of Equation (1) is {2}.

In Illustration 2, the number 10 is called an extraneous solution of Equation (1); it was introduced when both sides
were squared. The reason that this extraneous solution was introduced should be apparent after you read
Illustration 3.

Illustration 3
If both sides of the equation
−√2𝑥 + 5 = 5 − 𝑥
are squared, we obtain
2 2
(−√2𝑥 + 5) = (5 − 𝑥)
2𝑥 + 5 = 25 − 10𝑥 + 𝑥 2

which is equivalent to the equation in Illustration 2. We showed that the roots are 10 and 2. Substituting each of
these numbers into Equation (3), we have

−√2𝑥 + 5 + 𝑥 =? 5 √2𝑥 + 5 + 𝑥 =? 5
−√2(10) + 5 + (10) =? 5 −√2(2) + 5 + (2) =? 5
5 = 5 −1 ≠ 5
10 is a solution 2 is not a solution
∴ The solution set {10}.

Example 1 Find the solution set of the given equation

√𝑥√𝑥 − 8 = 3
Solution We square both sides of the equation
2
(√𝑥√𝑥 − 8) = (3)2
𝑥(𝑥 − 8) = 9
𝑥 2 − 8𝑥 = 9
2
𝑥 − 8𝑥 − 9 = 0
(𝑥 − 9)(𝑥 + 1) = 0

𝑥−9 = 0 𝑥+1 = 0
𝑥 = 9 𝑥 = −1
Checking

√9√9 − 8 =? 3 √−1√(−1) − 8 =? 3
3(1) =? 3 𝑖(3𝑖) =? 3
3 = 3 −3 ≠ 3
9 is a solution -1 is not a solution
∴ The solution set is {9}.
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Example 2 Find the solution set of the given equation

√3 − 3𝑥 − √3𝑥 + 2 = 3

Solution We first write an equivalent equation in which one radical is isolated on one side. Then, after applying
Theorem 1, we obtain another equation involving a radical. So, we use the same procedure for the new equation.

√3 − 3𝑥 − √3𝑥 + 2 = 3
√3 − 3𝑥 = 3 + √3𝑥 + 2
2 2
(√3 − 3𝑥) = (3 + √3𝑥 + 2)
3 − 3𝑥 = 9 + 6√3𝑥 + 2 + 3𝑥 + 2
−6√3𝑥 + 2 = 6𝑥 + 8
−3√3𝑥 + 2 = 3𝑥 + 4
2
(−3√3𝑥 + 2) = (3𝑥 + 4)2
9(3𝑥 + 2) = 9𝑥 2 + 24𝑥 + 16
27𝑥 + 18 = 9𝑥 2 + 24𝑥 + 16
2
9𝑥 − 3𝑥 − 2 = 0
(3𝑥 − 2)(3𝑥 + 1) = 0

3𝑥 − 2 = 0 3𝑥 + 1 = 0
2 1
𝑥 = 𝑥 = −
3 3
Checking

2 2 1 1
√3 − 3 ( ) − √3 ( ) + 2 =? 3 √3 − 3 (− ) − √3 (− ) + 2 =? 3
3 3 3 3
√1 − √4 =? 3 √4 − √1 =? 3
1 − 2 =? 3 2 − 1 =? 3
−1 ≠ 3 1 ≠ 3
2 1
is not a solution − is not a solution
3 3

∴ Therefore, the solution set is ∅.

Example 3 Find the solution set of the given equation

√2𝑥 + 3 − √𝑥 − 2 − 2 = 0

Solution We first write an equivalent equation in which one radical is isolated on one side. Then, after applying
Theorem 1, we obtain another equation involving a radical. So, we use the same procedure for the new equation

√2𝑥 + 3 − √𝑥 − 2 − 2 = 0
√2𝑥 + 3 = √𝑥 − 2 + 2
2 2
(√2𝑥 + 3) = (√𝑥 − 2 + 2)
2𝑥 + 3 = 𝑥 − 2 + 4√𝑥 − 2 + 4
𝑥+1 = 4√𝑥 − 2
2
(𝑥 + 1)2 = (4√𝑥 − 2)
𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 1 = 16(𝑥 − 2)
𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 1 = 16𝑥 − 32
3

2 = 0
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𝑥 − 14𝑥 + 33
(𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 − 11) = 0
 𝑥−3 = 0 𝑥 − 11 = 0
𝑥 = 3 𝑥 = 11
Checking

√2(3) + 3 − √3 − 2 − 2 =? 0 √2(11) + 3 − √11 − 2 − 2 =? 0

√9 − √1 − 2 =? 0 √25 − √9 − 2 =? 0
3 − 1 − 2 =? 0 5 − 3 − 2 =? 0
0 = 0 0 = 0
3 is a solution 11 is a solution

∴ The solution set is {3, 11}.

An equation in a single variable 𝑥 is said to be quadratic in form if it can be written as

𝑎𝑢2 + 𝑏𝑢 + 𝑐 = 0

where 𝑎 ≠ 0 and 𝑢 is an algebraic expression in 𝑥.

Illustration 4
The following equations are quadratic in form.
a) 𝑥 4 − 2𝑥 2 − 15 = 0 is quadratic in 𝑥 2 because if 𝑢 = 𝑥 2 , the equation becomes 𝑢2 − 2𝑢 − 15 = 0.
b) The equation 2𝑥 2⁄3 − 5𝑥 1⁄3 − 3 = 0 is quadratic in 𝑥 1⁄3 because if 𝑢 = 𝑥 1⁄3 , the equations becomes
2𝑢2 − 5𝑢 − 3 = 0.
1 2 1 1 1
c) The equation 3 (4𝑥 − ) − 4 (4𝑥 − ) − 15 = 0 is quadratic in 4𝑥 − because if 𝑢 = 4𝑥 − , the
𝑥 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥
equation becomes 3𝑢2 − 4𝑢 − 15 = 0.

Example 4 Find the solution set of the given equation

𝑥 4 − 2𝑥 2 − 15 = 0

Solution Let 𝑢 = 𝑥 2 . The equation becomes

𝑢2 − 2𝑢 − 15 = 0

We solve the equation for 𝑢.

(𝑢 − 5)(𝑢 + 3) = 0

𝑢−5 = 0 𝑢+3 = 0
𝑢 = 5 𝑢 = −3
Now, we replace 𝑢 with 𝑥 2 and solve the resulting equations

𝑥2 = 5 𝑥2 = −3
𝑥 = ±√5 𝑥 = ±√−3
𝑥 = ±𝑖√3
4

∴ The Solution set is {±√5, ±𝑖√3}.

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Example 5 Find the solution set of the given equation

2𝑥 2⁄3 − 5𝑥 1⁄3 − 3 = 0

Solution Let 𝑢 = 𝑥 1⁄3 . The equation becomes

2𝑢2 − 5𝑢 − 3 = 0

(2𝑢 + 1)(𝑢 − 3) = 0

2𝑢 + 1 = 0 𝑢−3 = 0
1
𝑢 = − 𝑢 = 3
2
Replacing 𝑢 by 𝑥 1⁄3 , we get
1 1
𝑥 1⁄3 = − 𝑥3 = 3
2
⁄3 3 = 1 3 1 3
1
(𝑥 ) (− ) (𝑥 3 ) = (3)3
2
1
𝑥 = − 𝑥 = 27
8
1
The solution set of the original equation is {− , 27}.
8

Example 6 Find the solution set of the given equation

1 1
3 (4𝑥 − ) − 4 (4𝑥 − ) − 15 = 0
𝑥 𝑥
1
Solution Let 𝑢 = 4𝑥 − . The equation becomes
𝑥

3𝑢2 − 4𝑢 − 15 = 0

(3𝑢 + 5)(𝑢 − 3) = 0

3𝑢 + 5 = 0 𝑢−3 = 0
5
𝑢 = − 𝑢 = 3
3
1
Replacing 𝑢 by (4𝑥 − ), and solving fox 𝑥
𝑥

1 5 1
4𝑥 − = − 4𝑥 − = 3
𝑥 3 𝑥
1 5 1
3𝑥(4𝑥) − 3𝑥 ( ) = 3𝑥 (− ) 𝑥(4𝑥) − 𝑥 ( ) = 𝑥(3)
𝑥 3 𝑥
12𝑥 2 − 3 = −5𝑥 4𝑥 2 − 1 = 3𝑥
12𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 − 3 = 0 4𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 − 1 = 0
(4𝑥 + 3)(3𝑥 − 1) = 0 (4𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 − 1) = 0

4𝑥 + 3 = 0 3𝑥 − 1 = 0 4𝑥 + 1 = 0 𝑥−1 = 0
𝑥 = 3 𝑥 = 1 𝑥 = 1 𝑥 = 1
− −
4 3 4
3 1 1
5

The solution set of the original equation is {− , , − , 1}.

4 3 4
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We have solved quadratic equations in standard form by factoring the left side and setting each factor equal to zero.
This procedure can also be used to solve some higher degree equations. For instance, in Example 4, we solved the
equation

𝑥 4 − 2𝑥 2 − 15 = 0

by letting 𝑢 = 𝑥 2 . An alternative method is to factor the left side and get

(𝑥 2 − 5)(𝑥 2 + 3) = 0

and then set each factor equal to zero to obtain

𝑥2 − 5 = 0 and 𝑥2 + 3 = 0

The solutions of these equations give the solution set of the original equation. In the following example, we apply the
same method to a third-degree equation.

Example 7 Find the solution set of the given equation

𝑥3 = 8

Solution The given equation is equivalent to

𝑥3 − 8 = 0

Recall that 𝑎3 − 𝑏 3 = (𝑎 − 𝑏)(𝑎2 + 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏 2 ). Using this formula where 𝑎 is 𝑥, and 𝑏 is 2, we can factor the left side
to obtain

(𝑥 − 2)(𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 4) = 0

Setting each factor equal to zero and solving the resulting equations, we have

𝑥−2 = 0 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 + 4 = 0
−2 ± √4 − 16
𝑥 = 2 𝑥 =
2
−2 ± √−12
𝑥 =
2
−2 ± 2𝑖√3
𝑥 =
2
𝑥 = −1 ± 𝑖√3
∴The solution set is {2, −1 ± 𝑖√3}.

Observe in Example 7 that because 𝑥 3 = 8, 𝑥 is a cube root of 8. Therefore, the solutions are cube roots of 8; one is
real and two are imaginary.
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