How do you solve x-12=sqrt(16x)?

1 Answer
Jul 23, 2016

x=4" or "x=36

Explanation:

What you do to 1 side of the equation you do to the other side.

Lets 'get rid' of the square root.

Square both sides:

(x-12)^2=16x

multiplied out the brackets
x^2-24x+144" "=" "16x

Subtract color(blue)(16x) from both sides
color(brown)(x^2-24xcolor(blue)(-16x)+144" "=" "16xcolor(blue)(-16x))

x^2-40x+144" "=" "0

Note that (-4)xx(-36)=+144"; "-4-36=40

(x-4)(x-36)" "=" "0

x=4" or "x=36
'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Check x-12-4sqrt(x)=0

,................................................
At x=4 ->(4)-12-4(color(magenta)(+-2))

Try: (4)-12-4(color(magenta)(+2)) = -16 color(red)(" Fail!")
Try: (4)-12-4(color(magenta)(-2)) = 0 color(green)(" Works!")

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At x=36 -> 36-12-4(color(magenta)(+-6))

Try: 36-12-4(color(magenta)(+6))= 0color(green)(" Works!")
Try: 36-12-4(color(magenta)(-6))= 48color(red)(" Fails!")