What is the most logical first step in solving the equation x^2+10x+25=11?

Mathematics

1 answer:

lord [1]2 years ago

5 0

Answer: The answer is (D). Take the square root of both sides of the equation.

Step-by-step explanation: Given that we are solving the following quadratic equation:

$x^2+10x+25=11.$

We are to select the most logical step among the given options in solving the above quadratic equation.

The correct answer is (D), because taking the square root of both the sides of the equation will directly result in the value of 'x' as follows:

$x^2+10x+25=11\\\\\Rightarrow \sqrt{x^2+10x+25}=\sqrt {11}\\\\\Rightarrow x+5=\pm\sqrt{11}\\\\\Rightarrow x=-5\pm\sqrt{11}.$

Thus, (d) is the answer.

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x = 2

Step-by-step explanation:

These equations are solved easily using a graphing calculator. The attachment shows the one solution is x=2.

<h3>Squaring</h3>

The usual way to solve these algebraically is to isolate radicals and square the equation until the radicals go away. Then solve the resulting polynomial. Here, that results in a quadratic with two solutions. One of those is extraneous, as is often the case when this solution method is used.

$\sqrt{x+2}+1=\sqrt{3x+3}\qquad\text{given}\\\\(x+2)+2\sqrt{x+2}+1=3x+3\qquad\text{square both sides}\\\\2\sqrt{x+2}=(3x+3)-(x+3)=2x\qquad\text{isolate the root term}\\\\x+2=x^2\qquad\text{divide by 2, square both sides}\\\\x^2-x-2=0\qquad\text{write in standard form}\\\\(x-2)(x+1)=0\qquad\text{factor}$

The solutions to this equation are the values of x that make the factors zero: x=2 and x=-1. When we check these in the original equation, we find that x=-1 does not work. It is an extraneous solution.

x = -1: √(-1+2) +1 = √(3(-1)+3) ⇒ 1+1 = 0 . . . . not true

x = 2: √(2+2) +1 = √(3(2) +3) ⇒ 2 +1 = 3 . . . . true . . . x = 2 is the solution

<h3>Substitution</h3>

Another way to solve this is using substitution for one of the radicals. We choose ...

$u=\sqrt{x+2}\qquad\text{requires $u\ge0$}\\\\u^2-2=x\qquad\text{solve for x}\\\\u+1=\sqrt{3(u^2-2)+3}\qquad\text{substitute for x in the original equation}\\\\(u+1)^2=3u^2-3\qquad\text{square both sides, simplify a little}\\\\2u^2-2u-4=0\qquad\text{subtract $(u+1)^2$}\\\\2(u-2)(u+1)=0\qquad\text{factor}$

Solutions to this equation are ...

u = 2, u = -1 . . . . . . the above restriction on u mean u=-1 is not a solution

The value of x is ...

x = u² -2 = 2² -2

x = 2 . . . . the solution to the equation

_____

<em>Additional comment</em>

Using substitution may be a little more work, as you have to solve for x in terms of the substituted variable. It still requires two squarings: one to find the value of x in terms of u, and another to eliminate the remaining radical. The advantage seems to be that the extraneous solution is made more obvious by the restriction on the value of u.