Question

Can anyone help..I am trying to solve by factoring..
3x^5/2 - 6x^3/2 = 9x^1/2

Answer 1

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=factor+3x^%285%2F2%29+-+6x^%283%2F2%29+-+9x^%281%2F2%29, forgot some parenthesis

Answer 2

I attempted that, but some where along the way I am getting the wrong solutions. If I factor out 3x^1/2, I get x^5 -2x^3 -3..so where do i go from there..I am not so much concerned about the answer..but how to figure it out.

Answer 3

it is because factoring x^(1/2) actually means x^(5/2-1/2)

Answer 4

\[x ^{a+b}=x ^{a} \times x ^{b}\]

Answer 5

so then if i factor out the 3x^1/2 what should it be? 3x^2-2x^1 -3^1?

Answer 6

i mean 3x^2 - 2x^1 - 3^0

Answer 7

first coefficient should be 1

Answer 8

1x^2 - 2x^1 - 3x^0

Answer 9

why does the x stay with the 3x^0?

Answer 10

x^0= 1 it was just to note that I actually did x^(0.5-0.5)

Answer 11

so then i have x^2 - 2x^1 -3? which factors to (x+1(x-3) ..and the resulting factorization is 3x^(1/2) (x+1)(x-3) and the solutions are 0, -1, and 3?

Answer 12

yep, confirm with wolfram if you are not sure

Answer 13

the solutions in the back of the book say X=0, and x=3.... how come -1 is not a solution?

Answer 14

because it is not defined in x^(0.5)

Answer 15

to be more clear, the solution -1 involves the use of complex numbers

Answer 16

with this kind of problems, and the ones with logarithms always go back to the original formula anc check the domain

Answer 17

how would i check the domain given just the original formula

Answer 18

in general things with broken exponents can't be negative 5/2 1/2, etc

Answer 19

so basically just plug in the solutions? and because a sq root of a negative number is imaginary i should exclude that from the solution? it didnt give a specific domain

Answer 20

yes, unles specified that roots of negative numbers are allowed, the answers must compute real

Answer 21

ok, thank you so much for helping me work out this problem.. the rational exponents totally messed me up.

Answer 22

np, have a nice evening or day or night,

Answer 23

thankk you:) its evening...you too