Question

solve for x : x^2+15=19

Answer 1

First, you want to get x^2 by itself on the left-hand side. so what would you do?

Answer 2

i think you add x^2 on both sides right ?

Answer 3

You can leave the x^2 alone for now. Let's move the 15 to the other side. How do we do that?

Answer 4

you subtract 15 from 19 to get the problem to equal zero

Answer 5

yes, you would subtract, but 19-15 = 4, so you end up with:

x^2 = 4

so far so good?

Answer 6

dont you divide

Answer 7

nope, now you have to take the square root of both sides

first, what is the square root of x^2 ?

Answer 8

2

Answer 9

no, the square root of x^2 is just x

Answer 10

now, what is the square root of 4 ?

Answer 11

2

Answer 12

yes. now, because you took the square root of both sides, your answer isn't just x = 2, it is also x = -2

Make sense?

Answer 13

sure it does

Answer 14

ok, good!