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View Full Version : solve square root (2x-3)=5 showing all steps


brittanylee00
Sep 21, 2012, 02:14 PM
I need help on how to solve problems like that. Please show all steps.

Unknown008
Sep 22, 2012, 11:54 AM
Post your attempt. Please show all calculations.

RPVega
Sep 25, 2012, 12:00 AM
(2x-3)**(1/2)=5, where the two asterisks (**) denote raising (2x-3) to the (1/2) power. Recall that raising an expression to the 1/2 power is the same as taking
the square root of the expression.

Next, raise both sides of the equation to the power of 2. This will eliminate the
square root radical sign on the left of the equals (=) sign, and the number 5 on
the right side of the equals sign, raised to the power of 2, becomes 25. This is
shown below:

[(2x-3)**(1/2)]**2 = 5**2
2x-3=25

I'll leave it as an exercize for you to solve 2x-3=25 for x. (Hint: add 3 to BOTH
sides of 2x-3=25, then divide BOTH sides of the resulting equation, 2x=28, by 2.)