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Department of Education
Schools Division Office - Quezon City
Novaliches High School

MATHEMATICS 9

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LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET

Week 8 Lesson: Solves Equations Involving Radical Expressions

Background Information for Learners

In this module, learners would be able to solve equations involving radical expressions.

LEARNING COMPETENCY: LC Code: M9AL – IIIi –1

Objectives:
1. Solve radical equations in a step-by-step method.
2. Check solutions to identify whether they are really a solution to an original radical equation.
3. Participate actively during the discussion.

Definition of a radical equation and Extraneous roots

A radical equation is an equation that contains a variable in a radicand. An example of radical expressions in
variable 𝒙 are: √𝑥 = 5 , 4 + √𝑥 − 1 = 1 and 3√𝑥 = 1 + 𝑥 . Extraneous roots are solutions (or roots) that are
obtained when solving a radical equation that is not a solution to the original equation.

Steps in Solving a radical equation involving only one variable.

1. Isolate the radical on the left side of an equation by applying the appropriate properties of equality .
2. Combine similar terms if there’s any.
𝑛
3. Remove the radical sign of the expression in terms of the nth root or “ √ ” by raising both sides of the
equation to the nth power.
4. Solve the resulting equation.
5. Check the solutions in the given equation for a possible presence of extraneous roots.

Illustrative Examples:
1. Solve : a) √𝑥 = 7 b) √𝑥 = −3 (In both equations, the variable 𝒙 is already on the left side).
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a) √𝑥 = 7 → (√𝑥) = (7)2 → 𝒙 = 𝟒𝟗 since √49 = 7 then 𝒙 = 𝟒𝟗 is the solution of √𝑥 = 7
2
b) √𝑥 = −3 → (√𝑥) = (−3)2 → 𝒙 = 𝟗 since √9 ≠ −3 then 𝒙 = 𝟗 is not a solution of √𝑥 = −3

2. Solve each equation: a) √𝑥 − 4 = 2 b) 3 + 5√𝑥 = 2𝑥

(Take the square of both sides. Then, solve for the variable 𝑥 ).
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a) √𝑥 − 4 = 2 → (√𝑥 − 4) = (2)2 → 𝑥 − 4 = 4 → 𝒙 = 𝟖 since √8 − 4 = 2; √4 = 2. 𝟖 is a solution
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b) 3 + 5√𝑥 = 2𝑥 → 5√𝑥 = 2𝑥 − 3 → (5√𝑥) = (2𝑥 − 3)2 → 25𝑥 = 4𝑥 2 − 12𝑥 + 9 (square of both sides)
→ 4𝑥 2 − 12𝑥 − 25𝑥 + 9 = 0 → 4𝑥 2 − 37𝑥 + 9 = 0 → (4𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 − 9) = 0 (factoring quadratic equation)
→ 4𝑥 = 1 and 𝑥 = 9 → 𝒙 = 𝟏⁄𝟒 𝒐𝒓 𝒙 = 𝟗
Check solutions by substituting values of 𝑥
1 𝟓 𝟐 𝟔 𝟓 𝟏
If 3 + 5√𝑥 = 2𝑥 and 𝒙 = 𝟏⁄𝟒 → 3 + 5√1⁄4 = 2(1⁄4) → 3 + 5(2) = 2(1⁄4) → 𝟑 + 𝟐 = 𝟒 → 𝟐 + 𝟐 = 𝟐
𝟏𝟏 𝟏 𝟏𝟏 𝟏
→ = since ≠ then 𝒙 = 𝟏⁄𝟒 is not a solution (extraneous root).
𝟐 𝟐 𝟐 𝟐

If 3 + 5√𝑥 = 2𝑥 and 𝒙 = 𝟗 → 3 + 5√9 = 2(9) → 3 + 5(3) = 2(9) → 3 + 15 = 18 → since 18 = 18 then

𝒙 = 𝟗 is a solution.
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3. √2𝑥 − 3 − 5 = 0 → √2𝑥 − 3 = 5 → (√2𝑥 − 3) = (5)2 → 2𝑥 − 3 = 25 → 2𝑥 = 28 → 𝑥 = 14.

If√2𝑥 − 3 − 5 = 0 and 𝒙 = 𝟏𝟒 → √2(14) − 3 − 5 = 0 → √28 − 3 − 5 = 0 → √25 − 5 = 0 → 5 − 5 = 0.

Therefore, 𝒙 = 𝟏𝟒 is the solution.
4. √5𝑥 2 − 16 = 𝑥 → (both sides has a variable x). Square both sides then combine them to form a quadratic
equation 𝒂𝒙𝟐 + 𝒃𝒙 + 𝒄 = 𝟎.
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(√5𝑥 − 16) = (𝑥 )2 → 5𝑥 2 − 16 = 𝑥 2 → 5𝑥 2 − 𝑥 2 − 16 = 0 → 4𝑥 2 − 16 = 0 → 4𝑥 2 = 16 → 𝑥 2 = 4 → 𝑥 = ±2.
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If √5𝑥 2 − 16 = 𝑥 and 𝑥 = 2 → √5(2)2 − 16 = 2 → √20 − 16 = 2 → √4 = 2 → 𝟐 = 𝟐 then 𝒙 = 𝟐 is a solution.

If √5𝑥 2 − 16 = 𝑥 and 𝑥 = −2 → √5(−2)2 − 16 = −2 → √20 − 16 = −2 → √4 ≠ −2 𝒙 = −𝟐 is not a solution.

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5. Solve: a) 3√𝑥 = −4 b) √𝑥 − 2 = −4 c) √3𝑥 + 1 − 3 = 0 (take the 3rd and 4rth power of each equations)
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a) 3√𝑥 = −4 → ( 3√𝑥 ) = (−4)3 → 𝒙 = −𝟔𝟒. It is a solution because 3√𝑥 = −4 and √−64 = −4
3 3 3 3
b) √𝑥 − 2 = −4 → ( √𝑥 − 2) = (−4)3 → 𝑥 − 2 = −64 → 𝒙 = −𝟔𝟐 is also a solution since √−62 − 2 = −4
4 4 4 4
c) √2𝑥 + 1 − 3 = 0 → √2𝑥 + 1 = 3 → ( √2𝑥 + 1) = (3)4 → 2𝑥 + 1 = 81 → 2𝑥 = 80 → 𝑥 = 40
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If 𝑥 = 40 → 4√2(40) + 1 − 3 = 0 → √81 − 3 = 0 → 3 − 3 = 0 since 3 − 3 = 0 then 𝒙 = 𝟒𝟎 only solution

6. Solve each equation. a) √3𝑥 + 3 − √5𝑥 − 1 = 0 b) √5𝑥 − 2 = √6𝑥 + 1

(since both radical equations contain more than one radical, isolate radicals and square both sides).
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a) √3𝑥 + 3 − √5𝑥 − 1 = 0 → √3𝑥 + 3 = √5𝑥 − 1 → (√3𝑥 + 3) = (√5𝑥 − 1) → 3𝑥 + 3 = 5𝑥 − 1 then
solve as linear equation in 𝒙 → 3 + 1 = 5𝑥 − 3𝑥 → 4 = 2𝑥 → 𝒙 = 𝟐 is the only solution
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b) √5𝑥 − 2 = √6𝑥 + 1 → (√5𝑥 − 2) = (√6𝑥 + 1) → 5𝑥 − 2 = 6𝑥 + 1 solve as linear equation in 𝒙
→ −2 − 1 = 6𝑥 − 5𝑥 → 𝒙 = −𝟑 is the only solution.

7. Solve for 𝑚: √𝑚 + 2 + √3𝑚 + 4 = 8 (since the equation contains two radicals and the equation is not
equal to zero, isolate radicals and square both sides).
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→ (√𝑚 + 2 + √3𝑚 + 4) = (8)2 →
2 2
→ (√𝑚 + 2) + (2)(√𝑚 + 2)(√3𝑚 + 4) + (√3𝑚 + 4) = (8)2 square of binomial (𝑥 + 𝑦)2 = 𝑥 2 + 2𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦 2
→ 𝑚 + 2 + +(2)(√𝑚 + 2)(√3𝑚 + 4) + 3𝑚 + 4 = 64 extracting square roots

→ (2)(√𝑚 + 2)(√3𝑚 + 4) = 64 − (𝑚 + 2) − (3𝑚 + 4 ) isolate all radicals to the left side of equation
→ (2)(√𝑚 + 2)(√3𝑚 + 4) = 64 − 𝑚 − 2 − 3𝑚 − 4 remove all the parentheses

→ 2√(𝑚 + 2)(3𝑚 + 4) = 58 − 4𝑚 combine similar terms

→ 2√3𝑚2 + 10𝑚 + 8 = 58 − 4𝑚 → √3𝑚2 + 10𝑚 + 8 = 29 − 2𝑚 multiply radicands, divide equation by 2
2
→ (√3𝑚2 + 10𝑚 + 8) = (29 − 2𝑚)2
2
→ (√3𝑚2 + 10𝑚 + 8) = (29)2 − 2(29)(2𝑚) + (−2𝑚)2 square both sides
→ 3𝑚2 + 10𝑚 + 8 = 841 − 116𝑚 + 4𝑚2 → 0 = 4𝑚2 − 3𝑚2 − 116𝑚 − 10𝑚 +841 − 8 quadratic equation
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→ 0 = 𝑚 − 126𝑚 + 833 → (𝑚 − 7)(𝑚 − 119) = 0 → 𝑚 = 7 or 𝑚 = 119 → 𝒎 = 𝟕 is the only solution
To check, substitute 𝒎 = 𝟕 → (√7 + 2 + √3(7) + 4) = (8) → √9 + √25 = 8 → 3 + 5 = 8

ACTIVITY 1: Solve each of the following equations (with only 1 radical). Then check by substituting the values.
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1. √𝑥 = 6 6. √4𝑥 = 8 11.√𝑥 − 2 = 7 16. √3𝑥 − 6 = 3
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2. √3𝑦 = 9 7. √𝑏 = 11 12. √2𝑦 + 4 = −6 17. √𝑥 − 5 = −5

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3. √𝑥 − 4 = 5 8. √3𝑥 = 6 13. √2𝑦 + 9 = 5 18. √5𝑥 − 1 − 4 = 0

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4. √5𝑥 + 1 = 𝑥 9. √5𝑥 = 10 14. √3𝑥 + 1 = 10 19. √5𝑥 − 4 = 3

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5. √3𝑚 = 15 10. √2𝑥 = −2 15. √3𝑥 − 1 = −4 20. √4𝑥 − 3 = 5

ACTIVITY 2: Solve each of the following equations with two radicals.

1. √4𝑥 − 3 = √3𝑥 + 4 6. √5 − 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 1 11. √𝑥 − 6 = √𝑥 + 9 − 3

2. √2𝑥 − 7 = √3𝑥 − 12 7. √𝑚 + 3 = 𝑚 + 1 12. √3𝑚 + 4 − √𝑚 + 2 = 2

3. √4𝑦 + 2 = √3𝑦 + 4 8. √2𝑡 − 5 = √4𝑡 − 3 − 2 13. √3𝑏 − 2 + √3𝑏 + 3 = 5

4. √6𝑦 + 4 = √2𝑦 + 20 9. √𝑥 + 5 − √𝑥 − 3 = 2 14. √2𝑦 + 1 = √3𝑦 − 1

5. √6𝑥 + 7 = 𝑥 + 2 10. √3𝑥 + 1 − √𝑥 − 4 = 3 15. √𝑛 + 4 = √𝑛 − 1 + 1

END OF WEEK 8 LESSON

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Reference:

Workbook: Mathematics for Grade 9, pages 108 – 111

Prepared by:

JOEL D. ALEGRE
Writer