How do you solve 2x - 9\sqrt { x } + 4= 0?

2 Answers
Aug 24, 2017

See below.

Explanation:

Move the term with the radical to the right hand side:

2x + 4 = 9sqrt(x)
square both sides and collect like terms:
81x = 4x^2 + 16x +16
collect and equate to 0:
4x^2 -65x + 16 = 0
Factor:
(4x - 1)(x -16) = 0
solution: x = 16 , x = 1/4

Aug 24, 2017

x=16" " or " "x = 1/4

Explanation:

Given:

2x-9sqrt(x)+4 = 0

Let t=sqrt(x) and find:

0 = 8(2x-9sqrt(x)+4)

color(white)(0) = 8(2t^2-9t+4)

color(white)(0) = 16t^2-72t+32

color(white)(0) = (4t)^2-2(4t)(9)+9^2-49

color(white)(0) = (4t-9)^2-7^2

color(white)(0) = ((4t-9)-7)((4t-9)+7)

color(white)(0) = (4t-16)(4t-2)

color(white)(0) = 8(t-4)(2t-1)

So:

t=4" " or " "t=1/2

Then:

x = t^2 = 4^2 = 16" " or " "x = t^2 = (1/2)^2 = 1/4