How do you solve sqrt(6a-6)=a+1 and check your solution?

1 Answer
Sep 30, 2017

No solutions

or using imaginary numbers
a=2+-sqrt(3)i

Explanation:

To start we would square both sides to get rid of the square root.

(sqrt(6a-6))^2=(a+1)^2
6a-6=(a+1)^2

We can now expand the brackets.

6a-6=a^2+2a+1

Move everything to one side to get the equation equal to 0.

0=a^2-4a+7

To solve this we will use the quadratic formula.

x=(-b+-sqrt(b^2-4ac))/(2a)
a=(-(-4)+-sqrt((-4)^2-4(1)(7)))/(2(1))
a=(4+-sqrt(16-28))/2
a=(4+-sqrt(-12))/2

However we are left with the square root of a negative, so there are no solutions.

Whereas if you are using imaginary number we can continue. If you are not using imaginary numbers stop here.

We can split sqrt(-12) into sqrt(-1)sqrt(12)

a=(4+-sqrt(-12))/2
a=(4+-sqrt(-1)sqrt(12))/2

Put i in as sqrt(-1) and simplify sqrt12.

a=(4+-2sqrt(3)i)/2
a=2+-sqrt(3)i