Digital Lesson

Solving Radical
Equations
 Equations containing variables within radical signs are called
radical equations.
x3  3 x9  x  7 3
x 1  2  3
A solution to a radical equation is a real number which, when
substituted for the variable, gives a true equation.

Examples: 1. Show that 12 is a solution of x  3  3.

(12)  3  3  9  3 True.
2. Show that 0 is a solution of 3 x  1  2  3 .
3
(0)  1  2  3  3 1  2  3  1  2  3 True.
3. Show that x  3 has no solutions.
The symbol indicates the positive or
principal square root of a number.
Since x must be positive, x  3 has no solutions.
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 If a and b are real numbers, n is a positive integer, and a = b,
then an = bn

This principle can be applied to solve radical equations.

Examples: 1. If x  2 , then ( x ) 2  2 2  x = 4.
2. If 3
x  5, then (3 x ) 3  53  x = 125.
The converse of the statement is true for odd n and false for
even n.
If n is odd and a n = b n then a = b.
If n is even and a n = b n then it is possible that a  b.
Example: (3)2 = 9 = (3)2 but, 3  3.

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 To solve a radical equation containing one square root:
1. Isolate the radical on one side of the equation.
2. Square both sides of the equation.
3. Solve for the variable.
4. Check the solutions.

Example: Solve x  3  5  0.
x3 5  0 Original equation

x3 5 Isolate the square root.

x  3  25 Square both sides.
x  22 Solve for x.

(22)  3  5  25  5  5  5  0 Check. True

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 Example: Solve 4 x  x  3.
4 xx3 Original equation
4 x  x3 Isolate the square root.
16 x  ( x  3) 2 Square both sides.

16 x  x 2  6 x  9 Solve for x.

x 2  10 x  9  0
( x  1)( x  9)  0
x  1 or x  9 Solutions

4 (1)  (1)  4  1  3 Check. True

4 (9)  (9)  4(3)  9  12  9  3 Check. True

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 Example: Solve 2  3 3 x  3  x.
2  3 3x  3  x Original equation
2  3 3x  x  3 Isolate the cube root.
8(3 x)  ( x  3)3 Cube both sides.

24 x  x 3  9 x 2  27 x  27 Expand the cube.

x 3  9 x 2  3 x  27  0 Simplify.

x 2 ( x  9)  3( x  9)  0 Group terms.
( x 2  3)( x  9)  0 Factor.
(x2 + 3) does not give a root because
the square root of a negative number x9 Solution
is not a real number.
2  3 3 (9)  3 2  3 27  3  2(3)  3  9 Check. True

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 To solve a radical equation containing two square roots:
1. Isolate one radical on one side of the equation.
2. Square both sides of the equation.
3. Isolate the other radical.
4. Solve the equation.
5. Check the solutions.

Example: Solve x  8  x  4 .
x 8  4 x Isolate one radical.
x  8  (4  x ) 2 Square both sides.
x  8  16  8 x  x Simplify.
8 x 8 Isolate the other radical.
64 x  64 Square both sides.
x 1 Solution
(1)  8  (1)  4 Check. True

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 Example: Solve x  2 x  2  6 .
x2 x2 6 Original equation
2 x2  6 x Isolate the square root.
4( x  2)  36  12 x  x 2 Square both sides.
x 2  16 x  28  0 Simplify.
( x  2)( x  14)  0 Factor.
x  2 or x  14 Possible solutions

(2)  2 (2)  2  2  2 4  2  2( 2)  6 Check 2. True

2 is a solution of the original radical equation.
(14)  2 (14)  2  14  2 16  14  8  22  6 Check 14. False
14 is not a solution of the original radical equation.

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 Example: A ten-foot board leans against an 8-foot wall so that
the top end of the board is at the top of the wall.

How far must the bottom of the board be from the wall?
Let x be the distance from the bottom of the board to the wall.
Use the Pythagorean Theorem. 10 ft. board
x 2  82  10 2
x 2  100  64  36 Simplify. 8 ft.wall
x  6 or x   6 Possible solutions
x
Check. Both are solutions of the radical equation, but since
the distance from the bottom of the board to the wall must
be nonnegative, – 6 is not a solution of the problem.
The bottom of the board must be 6 feet from the wall.

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 Example: The time T (in seconds) taken for a pendulum of
length L (in feet) to make one full swing, back and
forth, is given by the formula L
T  2 .
32
To the nearest hundredth, how long is a pendulum which takes 2
seconds to complete one full swing?
L
2  2 Radical equation 2 (3.24)  1.99 Check. True.
32 32
L 2
 Isolate the radical. A pendulum of length
32 2 approximately 3.24 feet will
2
L 1 make one full swing in 2
  Square both sides.
32    seconds.
32
L  2  3.24 Solve for L.
 (to the nearest hundredth)

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