document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1133768>Question 1133768</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Given that a,b, and c are constants, a<b<c, state the domain\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "y= sqrt((x-a)(x-b)(x-c))\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Hint: Graph y=(x-a)(x-b)(x-c)\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #751060 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13200)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=greenestamps><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=751060\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "For the square root of an expression to be a real number, the expression has to be zero or positive.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "In this example, the expression under the radical is (x-a)(x-b)(x-c), and we are given the condition that a < b < c.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "That expression has the value 0 when x is a, b, or c; so the values a, b, and c are all in the domain.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "For the intervals into which the rest of the number line is divided by those three values...<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "if x > c, then all three factors in the expression are positive, so the product is positive;<BR>\n" );
document.write( "if b < x < c, then the factor (x-c) is negative, so the product is negative;<BR>\n" );
document.write( "if a < x < b, then the factors (x-b) and (x-c) are both negative, so the product is positive; and<BR>\n" );
document.write( "if x < a, then all three factors are negative, so the product is negative.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Now you should be able to determine the domain.... </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );