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solve radical x+26+radical x-51=11?

the answer is x = 55 but how do you get 55

please explain each step

1 Answer

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    I can't tell if that's supposed to be √(x+26) + √(x-51) = 11, or √x + 26 + √(x-51) = 11, or something else. But given the answer, I take it you mean √(x+26) + √(x-51) = 11.

    Square both sides to get

    (x+26) + 2√(x+26)√(x-51) + (x-51) = 121

    (x+26) + 2√(x+26)√(x-51) + (x-51) = 121

    2x - 25 + 2√[(x+26)(x-51)] = 121

    2x + 2√[(x+26)(x-51)] = 146

    x + √[(x+26)(x-51)] = 73

    √[(x+26)(x-51)] = 73 - x

    Now square both sides to get rid of the radical

    (x+26)(x-51) = (73 - x)^2

    Expand both sides. The x^2 terms cancel from both sides, and you're left with an equation you can solve for x.

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