How do you solve sqrt(2x – 1) = x – 2?

1 Answer
Jun 15, 2016

Start by squaring both sides.

Explanation:

(sqrt(2x - 1))^2 = (x - 2)^2

2x - 1 = x^2 - 4x+ 4

0 = x^2 - 6x + 5

0 = (x - 5)(x - 1)

x = 5 and 1

Checking in the original equation, we find that only x = 5 works. Our solution set is therefore {x = 5}.

Hopefully this helps!