16Hit1600
Advanced MathVery hardEquation with two equal radicals

Advanced Math practice question

What value of x satisfies √(2x − 1) = √(x + 3)?

Answer: 4

Squaring both sides: 2x − 1 = x + 3, so x = 4 (and both radicands are positive).

Common wrong answers

If you answered 2
2 comes from 2x − 1 = x + 3 with a sign slip.
If you answered 3
3 sets 2x − 1 = x + 3 as x = 3 by dropping a term.
If you answered -4
−4 makes both radicands negative.

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