Isolate one of the radical terms
We square both sides:
Squaring the square root on the left takes away the radical:
Write the right side twice multiplied by itself, so we can use FOIL:
Combine the radical terms on the right
Isolate the radical term on the left
Square both sides:
Factor the right side:
Use the zero factor property:
z - 4 = 0; z-480 = 0
z = 4; z = 480
We must always check radical equations with square
or even roots for extraneous solutions:
Checking z=4
So 4 is a solution.
Checking x=480
So 480 is an extraneous answer, not a solution.
The only solution is z = 4
Edwin