Solve each radical equation in Exercises 11–30. Check all proposed solutions.√(1 + 4√x) = 1 + √x
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Step 1: Start by isolating the radical on one side of the equation. In this case, the equation is already set up with the radical isolated: \( \sqrt{1 + 4\sqrt{x}} = 1 + \sqrt{x} \).
Step 2: Square both sides of the equation to eliminate the square root on the left side. This gives: \( 1 + 4\sqrt{x} = (1 + \sqrt{x})^2 \).
Step 3: Expand the right side of the equation. Use the formula \((a + b)^2 = a^2 + 2ab + b^2\) to expand \((1 + \sqrt{x})^2\), resulting in \(1 + 2\sqrt{x} + x\).
Step 4: Set up the equation from Step 2 with the expanded form: \(1 + 4\sqrt{x} = 1 + 2\sqrt{x} + x\).
Step 5: Simplify the equation by subtracting 1 from both sides and then isolate the terms involving \(\sqrt{x}\) to solve for \(x\).
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Radical Equations
Radical equations are equations that involve a variable within a radical (square root, cube root, etc.). To solve these equations, one typically isolates the radical on one side and then squares both sides to eliminate the radical. This process can introduce extraneous solutions, so it's essential to check all proposed solutions in the original equation.
Isolating the radical is a crucial step in solving radical equations. This involves rearranging the equation so that the radical expression is alone on one side. Once isolated, squaring both sides of the equation can simplify the problem, but care must be taken to ensure that the solutions found are valid in the context of the original equation.
Extraneous solutions are solutions that emerge from the process of solving an equation but do not satisfy the original equation. This often occurs when squaring both sides of a radical equation, as this operation can introduce false solutions. Therefore, it is critical to substitute any potential solutions back into the original equation to verify their validity.