SOLUTION: If 5 times a number is decreased by 4 the principal root of this difference is 2 less than the number find the numbers

Question 657890: If 5 times a number is decreased by 4 the principal root of this difference is 2 less than the number find the numbers
Answer by kevwill(135) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
If I'm reading the problem statement correctly, we are to find x such that

Squaring both sides:

We can solve for x using the quadratic equation with a=1, b=-9, and c=8:

So x = 1 or x = 8. However x cannot be 1 because we are told that the principle root of 5x-4 = x-2, but x-2 = -1, so we would not be taking the principle root.
Hence, x = 8.

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