How do you solve $(x^2-8x+4)/(x^2-2) = 3$ ?

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Answer 1 · 2016-06-06T14:40:57

First, let's determine the restrictions on x. This can be done by setting the denominator to 0 and solving for x.

$x^2 - 2 = 0$

$x^2 = 2$

$x = +-sqrt(2)$

Therefore, $x != +-sqrt(2)$

Now we can solve:

$x^2 - 8x + 4 = 3(x^2 - 2)$

$x^2 - 8x + 4 = 3x^2 - 6$

$0 = 2x^2 + 8x -10$

$0 = 2x^2 + 10x - 2x - 10$

$0 = 2x(x + 5) - 2(x + 5)$

$0 = (2x - 2)(x + 5)$

$x = 1 and -5$

Checking our solutions in the original equation we find that both work.

Our solution set is therefore ${x = 1, -5; x !=+-sqrt(2)}$

Hopefully this helps!

How do you solve (x^2-8x+4)/(x^2-2) = 3 (x^2-8x+4)/(x^2-2) = 3?