Algebra I All-in-One For Dummies

Chapter 18

Reeling in Radical and Absolute Value Equations

IN THIS CHAPTER

Squaring radicals once or twice (and making them nice)

Being absolutely sure of absolute value

Checking for extraneous solutions

Radical equations and absolute value equations are just what their names suggest. Radical equations contain one or more radicals (square root or other root symbols), and absolute value equations have an absolute value operation (two vertical bars that say to give the distance from 0). Although they’re two completely different types of equations, radical equations and absolute value equations do have something in common: You change both into linear or quadratic equations (see Chapters 15 and 16) and then solve them. After all, going back to something familiar makes more sense than trying to develop (and then remember) a bunch of new rules and procedures.

What’s different is how you change these two types of equations. I handle each type separately in this chapter and include practice problems for you.

Raising Both Sides to Solve Radical Equations

Some equations have radicals in them. You change those equations to linear or quadratic equations for greater convenience when solving. ...