Answer: {5 ± 2√10, 5 - 2√10}
Step-by-step explanation: First isolate the binomial squared by adding 40 to both sides to get (x - 5)² = 40.
Next, square root both sides to get x - 5 = ± √40.
Notice that root of 40 can be broken down to 2√10.
So we have x - 5 = ± 2√10.
To get <em>x</em> by itself, add 5 to both sides to get x = 5 ± 2√10.
So our answer is just {5 ± 2√10, 5 - 2√10}.
As a matter of form, the number will always come before the
radical term in your answer to these types of problems.
In other words, we use 5 ± 2√10 instead of ± 2√10 + 5.
