Chapter 8: Problem 80
Solve each equation. (All solutions for these equations are nonreal complex numbers.) \((x-5)^{2}=-36\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
x = 5 ± 6i
Step by step solution
01
- Recognize the form of the equation
The equation given is \( (x-5)^{2}=-36 \). Notice that it is set equal to a negative number, which means the solutions will be complex numbers.
02
- Apply the square root
Take the square root of both sides of the equation to isolate \( x-5 \): \[ \sqrt{(x-5)^{2}} = \sqrt{-36} \]. Recall that the square root of a square is the absolute value of the interior term. Therefore, this simplifies to: \[ x-5 = \pm \sqrt{-36} \].
03
- Simplify the square root of a negative number
Simplify the square root of \( -36 \) using the property \( \sqrt{-a} = i\sqrt{a} \), where \( i \) is the imaginary unit: \[ x-5 = \pm i \sqrt{36} = \pm 6i \].
04
- Solve for x
Solve for \( x \) by adding \( 5 \) to both sides of the equation: \[ x = 5 \pm 6i \].
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
complex numbers
A complex number is a number that has both a real part and an imaginary part. The standard form for a complex number is written as: \(a + bi\), where:
- \(a\) is the real part
- \(bi\) is the imaginary part
square root property
The square root property is used to solve equations of the form \((x-a)^2 = b\). The steps are:
- Take the square root of both sides of the equation.
- Simplify the resulting expressions.
- Don't forget the \(\pm\) symbol when taking the square root, as there are two possible solutions.
imaginary unit
The imaginary unit, denoted as \(i\), is defined as \(\sqrt{-1}\). This unit is essential when dealing with the square roots of negative numbers. Key properties of the imaginary unit include:
- \(i^2 = -1\)
- \(\sqrt{-a} = i\sqrt{a}\), for any positive real number \(a\)
isolating variables
Isolating the variable is a crucial step in solving any algebraic equation. It involves manipulating the equation to get the variable by itself on one side of the equation. The process typically includes:
- Using addition or subtraction to move terms from one side to the other.
- Using multiplication or division to simplify the coefficients of the variable.