Question

2.√3x + 7 + √x + 1 =2​

Answer 1

Answer:

  x = -1

Step-by-step explanation:

The usual approach to these is to square the radicals until they are gone.

  $\displaystyle\sqrt{3x+7}+\sqrt{x+1}=2\\\\(3x+7) +2\sqrt{(3x+7)(x+1)}+(x+1) = 4\qquad\text{square both sides}\\\\2\sqrt{(3x+7)(x+1)}=-4x-4\qquad\text{subtract 4x+8 }\\\\(3x+7)(x+1)=(-2x-2)^2\qquad\text{divide by 2, square again}\\\\3x^2+10x +7=4x^2+8x+4\qquad\text{simplify}\\\\x^2-2x-3=0\qquad\text{subtract the left expression}\\\\(x-3)(x+1)=0\qquad\text{factor}\\\\x=3,\ x=-1\qquad\text{solutions to the quadratic}$

Each time the equation is squared, the possibility of an extraneous root is introduced. Here, x=3 is extraneous: it does not satisfy the original equation.

The solution is x = -1.

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Using a graphing calculator to solve the original equation can avoid extraneous solutions. The attachment shows only the solution x = -1. Rather than use f(x) = 2, we have rewritten the equation to f(x)-2 = 0. The graphing calculator is really good at showing the function values at the x-intercepts.