10.

6 Radical Equations and Problem Solving

1. Use the power rule to solve radical equations.

  72
 7 7 49  7

 5 2
 5 5 25  5

 x 2
 x x  x

 x  1 2
 x 1

3a  2
 9a 2

3 x  2
 9x

2x  3   4 x  12 x  9
2 2

Not 4x2 + 9 !
To Solve Equations: Inverse Operations

Add ↔ Subtract

Multiply ↔ Divide

Powers↔ Roots
 Radical Equations
x 
x 
Power Rule
If both sides of an equation are raised to the same
power, all solutions of the original equation are also
solutions of the new equation.

x  5 x 2  25 Extraneous Solution

x  5,  5 Check all solutions!

Radical Equations
x 5 y 6 3
a  2 4
b 2

x  25 y  36 a  8 b  16

To Solve Radical Equations

1. Isolate the radical.
2. Raise both sides of the equation to the same
power as the index.
3. Linear or Quadratic? Solve. (Repeat 1 & 2 if
necessary)
4. Check.
Solve: 3y  2  3  2 Check:
3y  2  5
39   2  3  2
 3 y  2   5 
2 2

25  3  2
3 y  2  25
r or True
ea tic?
Lin
adra 3 y  27
qu
y 9 9 
 Solve: 3
k 2  4 Check:


3
k  2   4 
3 3 3
62  2  4
r
aro ?
e c
Lin drati k  2  64
qua
3
64  4
k  62
True

62
Solve:
c371

c  3  6

Square root will never be negative!

Solve:
m2  2m  3 Check:

 m  2 
2
 2m  3 
2
52  25   3
r
aro ?
e c
Lin drati
qua m  2  2m  3 7  7

 m  5 True
m 5
5
Solve:
7  3x  x  3 Check: x = -1
Rewrite and Foil!
 7  3 x   x  3 
2 2
7  3 1   1  3
7  3x  x 2  6x  9 4 2
or
e ar
c? 2 True
Lin
a dr ati 0  x  3x  2
qu

0  x  1x  2 Check: x = -2
7  3 2   2  3
x  1 x  2
11
True
 1,  2 
Solve: Check: y = 2
4y  1  5  y
42  1  5  2
4y  1  y  5 95 2
 4 y  1  y  5 
2 2
35 2
2 False
4 y  1  y  10 y  25
r
ro ?
ea
Lin drati
c
2 Check: y = 12
qu
a 0  y  14 y  24
412  1  5  12
0  y  2y  12 49  5  12
y 2 y  12 7  5  12

 12  True
Extraneous Solution
Solve:
x5 x 1 Check:
x5  x 1 45 4 1

 x  5 
2
 x  1
2 9 4 1
321
x5  x  1 x  1
x 5  x  2 x 1 True
42 x
4 
2 x
2
2
  x 2

x  4
Solve. 5x  4  x  2

a) 6

b) 8

c) 9

d) no solution

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 10- 13

Solve. 5x  4  x  2

a) 6

b) 8

c) 9

d) no solution

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 10- 14

Solve. x  2  5 x  16

a) 3, 4

b) 3

c) 4

d) no real-number solution

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 10- 15

Solve. x  2  5 x  16

a) 3, 4

b) 3

c) 4

d) no real-number solution

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 10- 16