Solving Radical Equations

Topics for Today:

We added to our equation solving tools today by working with equations containing radicals.  To solve these equations, we must isolate the variable on one side of the equation.  Once we do that, we can "undo" taking a square root by squaring both sides.  We must be careful when squaring equations so that our process does not result in extraneous (extra) solutions.  It's always best to check our solutions to make sure they satisfy the original equation.  As with many other equation types, we may have a situation where our equation has no solutions.  In Algebra I, we do not work with imaginary numbers (in our class they are the square roots of negative numbers), so if we encounter any of these, our equation has no real solution.

Vocabulary: radical equation, extraneous solution

Sections Covered in Textbook:

11-5: Solving Radical Equations (pages 607-612)

Resources & Tutorials:

1) How do you solve radical equations?
2) How to solve a radical equation with a binomial radicand.