document.write( "Question 307270: If (y -3)^2 = 16, what is the smallest possible value of y^2?
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Algebra.Com's Answer #852416 by ikleyn(52908) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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\n" ); document.write( "If (y -3)^2 = 16, what is the smallest possible value of y^2?
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " The solution in the post by @Theo, giving the answer y = 7, is FATALLY incorrect.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " I came to bring a correct solution.\r
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document.write( "If  (y-3)^2 = 16, then there are two cases.\r\n" );
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document.write( "(1)  Either y-3 =  = 4,   and then  y-3 = 4,  giving  y = 4+3 = 7,      y^2 = 49;\r\n" );
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document.write( "(2)  Or     y-3 =  = -4, and then  y-3 = -4, giving  y = -4 + 3 = -1,  y^2 = (-1)^2 = 1.\r\n" );
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document.write( "y^2 = 1 is less than y^2 = 49.  Therefore, the answer to the problem is THIS:\r\n" );
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document.write( "     |   The smallest possible value of y^2 is 1.  |\r\n" );
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Solved correctly, in a way as it SHOULD be done.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "This problem is partly a Math joke, partly a Math trap, and partly a test
\n" ); document.write( "to check if a person does understand what is square root of a number.\r
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