5.6 Radical equations
Unit 5 · Rational exponents and radical functions
Ideas in this lesson
Isolate and solve a radical
Isolate the radical, apply the matching power, solve, and check every candidate in the original equation.
Equations with two radicals
Use domain restrictions first. Isolate or combine the radicals before squaring, and check the resulting candidates.
Rational-exponent equations
Interpret the rational power as a root followed by a power. An even numerator can produce two real solutions.
Reject extraneous solutions
Squaring can introduce a candidate that does not satisfy the original equation. Substitute every candidate before accepting it.
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