SOLUTION: I am stumped.. when I solved the equation there was no need for the square root method. But that is what my hmwrk question is calling for. Will you please break this problem down f
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Question 672676: I am stumped.. when I solved the equation there was no need for the square root method. But that is what my hmwrk question is calling for. Will you please break this problem down for me so that I can see where I am messing up?
(x-3)^2 = 25 Found 3 solutions by josmiceli, Edwin McCravy, MathLover1:Answer by josmiceli(19441) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Both sides are a perfect square
So you can take the square root of
both sides to simplify it.
Add to both sides
------------
check the answer:
OK
The other tutor's answer is only half right for there are TWO
SOLUTIONS, not just one. Here is the complete answer:
(x-3)² = 25
There are two possibilities for that since
(+5)² = 25 and (-5)² = 25 are BOTH TRUE. Therefore,
(x-3) could either equal to +5 or (x-3) could equal to -5.
So we have two equations and therefore two solutions:
(x-3) = +5 and (x-3) = -5
x-3 = 5 x-3 = -5
x = 8 x = -2
Edwin
