SOLVING EQUATIONS INVOLVING RADICALS
1) INTRODUCTION
Radical equations are solved with the help of the power rule given below. But
there are issues attached to using this power rule as will be highlighted in
the discussion that follows. First things first, what are radical equations?
A radical equation is one in which at least one variable (the unknown)
appears under a radical sign.
Here we are interested in equations such as √𝑥 + 13 − √7 − 𝑥 = 2 or
√𝑥 + 6 = 𝑥 in which at least one variable appears under a radical sign.
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N.B: The equation 2𝑥 + 5 = √2 is not a radical equation because there is
no variable under the radical sign.
2) THE POWER RULE AND EXTRANEOUS SOLUTIONS
Q. Find each power:
2 2 3 4
a) (√𝑥) b) (√𝑥 + 1) c) ( √2𝑥 − 3) d) ( 4√𝑦 − 3)
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As we will see, the solutions of many problems involve equations containing
radicals. To solve these equations, we will use the power rule.
The power Rule
Let 𝑎 and 𝑏 be real numbers and 𝑛 a natural number.
𝐼𝑓 𝑎 = 𝑏 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑏 𝑛
However, when applying the power rule above one needs to be careful.
Raising both sides of an equation to a natural number power may produce
results that do not satisfy the original equation.
CAUTION
If we raise both sides of an equation by the same natural number power,
the resulting equation might not be equivalent to the original equation.
Hence, after using the power rule on both of an equation there is need to
check solutions obtained after this process in the original equation.
Consider the following example.
EXAMPLE 1
Solve 𝑥 − 3 = 1 for which clearly the solution is only 4. Now, solve the same
equation after squaring both sides. What do you notice?
Solution:
1
Now, if we square both sides of equation, we obtain:
(𝑥 − 3)2 = 12 or 𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 + 8 = 0
⇔ (𝑥 − 4)(𝑥 − 2) = 0
∴ 𝑥 = 4 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = 2.
Clearly, the two equations 𝑥 − 3 = 1 and 𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 + 8 = 0 are not equivalent
since the latter yields an extra unwanted solution called extraneous
solution. Never the less, we shall go ahead and square both side but with the
realization that the process may introduce unwanted roots (extraneous
solutions).
2.1) EQUATIONS CONTAINING ONE RADICAL
PROCEDURE FOR SOLVING A RADICAL EQUATION
1) Isolate one radical expression on one side of the equation.
2) Raise both sides of the equation to the power that is the same as the
index of the radical.
3) Solve the new equation.
4) Check the tentative solutions to eliminate the ones that do not
satisfy the original equation.
EXAMPLE 2
Solve:
a) √3𝑥 + 1 = 7
b) √𝑥 + 6 = 𝑥
c) √3𝑥 + 1 + 1 = 𝑥
Solutions
2
a) (√3𝑥 + 1) = 72
⇒ 3𝑥 + 1 = 49
⇒ 3𝑥 = 48
∴ 𝑥 = 16
Solution set ={16}
b) Given equation √𝑥 + 6 = 𝑥
⇒ √𝑥 = 𝑥 − 6
2
2
⇒ (√𝑥) = (𝑥 − 6)2
⇒ 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 12𝑥 + 36
⇒ 𝑥 2 − 13𝑥 + 36 = 0
⇒ (𝑥 − 4)(𝑥 − 9) = 0
𝑥 = 4 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 = 9 (Tentative solutions)
Please note that:
√4 ≠ 4 − 6 = −2, while √9 = 9 − 6 = 3.
Hence, the solution set is {9}
• Reminder: The symbol √ designate the non-negative square root
known as principal square root.
EXAMPLE 3
3
Solve √𝑥 3 + 7 − 1 = 𝑥
Solution
3
√𝑥 3 + 7 − 1 = 𝑥
3
⇒ √𝑥 3 + 7 = 𝑥 + 1
3 3
⇒ ( √𝑥 3 + 7) = (𝑥 + 1)3
⇒ 𝑥 3 + 7 = 𝑥 3 + 3𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 + 1
⇒ 0 = 3𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 − 6
⇒ 3𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 − 6 = 0
⇒ 𝑥2 + 𝑥 − 2 = 0
⇒ (𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 1) = 0
∴ 𝑥 = −2 or 𝑥 = 1
Solution set = {−2, 1}
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2.2) EQUATIONS CONTAINING TWO RADICALS
• When more than one radical appears in an equation, it is often
necessary to apply the power rule more than once.
• Whenever you are expanding a binomial (a sum or a difference of
two terms) remember to use the identities:
(𝑎 + 𝑏)2 = 𝑎2 + 2𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏 2 or (𝑎 − 𝑏)2 = 𝑎2 − 2𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏 2
EXAMPLE 4
Solve √𝑥 + 4 − √𝑥 − 1 = 1
Solution
To remove the radicals, we must square both sides of the equation. This is
easier to do if one radical is on each side of the equation. Therefore, we add
√𝑥 − 1 to both sides to isolate one radical on one side of the equation.
√𝑥 + 4 − √𝑥 − 1 = 1
⇒ √𝑥 + 4 = 1 + √𝑥 − 1
2 2
⇒ (√𝑥 + 4) = (1 + √𝑥 − 1)
⇒ 𝑥 + 4 = 1 + 2√𝑥 − 1 + (𝑥 − 1)
⇒ 𝑥 + 4 = 2√𝑥 − 1 + 𝑥
⇒ 4 = 2√𝑥 − 1
⇒ √𝑥 − 1 = 2
2
⇒ ( √𝑥 − 1) = 22
⇒ 𝑥−1=4
∴𝑥=5
Solution set = {5}
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2.3) EQUATIONS CONTAINING THREE RADICALS
EXAMPLE 5
Solve √𝑥 + 2 + √2𝑥 = √18 − 𝑥
Solution
In this case, it is impossible to isolate one radical on each side of the
equation, so we begin by squaring both sides. Then we proceed as follows.
√𝑥 + 2 + √2𝑥 = √18 − 𝑥
2 2
⇒ (√𝑥 + 2 + √2𝑥) = (√18 − 𝑥)
⇒ 𝑥 + 2 + 2√2𝑥√𝑥 + 2 + 2𝑥 = 18 − 𝑥
⇒ 2√2𝑥√𝑥 + 2 = 16 − 4𝑥
⇒ √2𝑥√𝑥 + 2 = 8 − 2𝑥
2
⇒ (√2𝑥√𝑥 + 2) = (8 − 2𝑥)2
⇒ 2𝑥(𝑥 + 2) = 64 − 32𝑥 + 4𝑥 2
⇒ 2𝑥 2 + 4𝑥 = 64 − 32𝑥 + 4𝑥 2
⇒ 0 = 2𝑥 2 − 36𝑥 + 64
⇒ 𝑥 2 − 18𝑥 + 32 = 0
⇒ (𝑥 − 2)(𝑥 − 16) = 0
∴ 𝑥 = 2 or 𝑥 = 16
Solution set = {2}.
EXERCISE
Solve each of the following equations:
1) √2𝑥 − 1 + 5 = 0
2)
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√2𝑥 + 3 + 3 = 0
3) 2√𝑥 + 4 − 𝑥 = 1
4) √𝑥 + √𝑥 + 2 = 2
5) √3𝑥 + 4 + √𝑥 + 9 = √𝑥 + 25
6) √√2𝑦 − √𝑦 − 1 = 1
END
