SOLVING EQUATIONS INVOLVING

RADICAL EXPRESSIONS
for Mathematics Grade 9
Quarter 2 / Week 7

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OBJECTIVES:

K: Enumerates the steps in solving equations involving

radical expressions

S: Solves equations involving radical expressions.

A: Shows appreciation of accuracy of solutions and

answers.

I. WHAT HAPPENED

Good day everyone!

Today we’re going to study on
how to solve equations involving
radical expressions. Be ready, you
can do this!

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PRETEST
DIRECTION: Find the root of the following radical equations. Choose
the letter that corresponds to the correct answer. Write your answer
on a separate sheet on your notebook.

1. √2𝑥 − 1 - 𝑥 + 2 = 0
a. 𝑥 = 1 b. 𝑥 = 3 c. 𝑥 = 5 d. 𝑥 = 7

2. √3𝑥 + 1- √𝑥 + 8 = 1
a. 𝑥 = 1 b. 𝑥 = 3 c. 𝑥 = 5 d. 𝑥 = 8

3.√7 − 2𝑥 - 𝑥 = 4
a. 𝑥 = 9 c. 𝑥 = −1 c. 𝑥 = 0 d. 𝑥 = 3

4. √4𝑥 + 1 - √5 − 2𝑥 = 2
2 1
a. 𝑥 = - 9 b. 𝑥 = - c. 𝑥 = 0 d. 𝑥 = 2
9

5. √3𝑥 + 1 - 𝑥 + 1 = 0
a. 𝑥 = 5 b. 𝑥 = 0 or 5 c. 𝑥 = −1 𝑜𝑟 2 d. 𝑥 = 0 𝑜𝑟 − 5

6 √2𝑥 + 5– 3 = 0
3

a. 𝑥 = 2 b. 𝑥 = 9 c. 𝑥 = 11 d. 𝑥 = 16

(Math is Fun n.d.)

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II. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Challenge: Think deeper and test further your understanding in solving

equation involving radical expression. After doing the following activities, you
should be able to answer the following question: “How do we solve radical
equations?”

A radical equation is an equation that contains a variable in the

radicand.

Examples of radical equations are:

√𝑥 = 5
4 + √𝑥 − 1 = 1
√𝑥 = 1 + 𝑥
3

√5𝑥 + 1 = 1 + 3√𝑥

In solving a radical equation involving only one variable, the following

steps are suggested:

1. Isolate the radical on the left side by applying the appropriate

properties of equality.
2. Combine similar terms whenever possible.
3. Remove the radical sign by raising both sides of the equation to the
index of the radical.
4. Solve the resulting equation.
5. Check the solutions in the given equation for a possible presence of
extraneous roots. Extraneous roots are numbers obtained when solving
an equation that are not solution to the original equation (Orines, et
al. 2018)

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EXAMPLE 1. Solve each equation.
a. √𝑥 = 7 b. √𝑥 = -3

In both equations, the variable is already on the left side.

SOLUTION CHECK
a. a. √𝑥 = 7 If √𝑥 = 7 and 𝑥 = 49, then
(√𝑥)2 = (7)2 √49= 7
7 = 7. True
𝑥 = 49

Therefore, x = 49 is the solution of √𝑥 = 7

SOLUTION CHECK
b. √𝑥 = -3 If √𝑥 = -3 and 𝑥 = 9, then
(√𝑥 )2 = (−3)2 √9 = −3 or 3
𝑥 = 9 - 3 = −3. True

Thus, 𝑥 = 9 is a solution of √𝑥 = -3

EXAMPLE 2. Solve each equation.

a. √𝑥 − 4 = 2 b. 3 + 5√𝑥 = 2𝑥

SOLUTION CHECK
a. Get the square of both If√𝑥 − 4 = 2 and 𝑥 = 8, then
sides. Then, solve for the √8 − 4 = 2
variable. √4 = 2
√𝑥 − 4 = 2 2 = 2. True
(√𝑥 − 4)2 = (2)2
𝑥 – 4 = 4 (transpose)
𝑥 = 8

Thus, 𝑥 = 8 is a solution.

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 SOLUTION CHECK
1
b. Isolate the radical. x1. If 3 + 5√𝑥 = 2𝑥 and 𝑥 = , then
4
3 + 5√𝑥 = 2𝑥 1 1
5√𝑥 = 2𝑥 – 3 3 + 5√4 = 2( )
4
(5√𝑥)2 = (2𝑥 – 3)2 1
3 + 5(2) = 4
2
25𝑥 = 4𝑥 2 – 12𝑥 + 9 5 1
4𝑥 2 – 37𝑥 + 9 = 0 3+2=2
11 1
By factoring, ≠ 2 . False
2
(4𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 – 9) = 0 1
𝑥 = is not a solution. It is an
4𝑥 – 1 = 0 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 – 9 = 0 4
1 extraneous root.
𝑥1 = or 𝑥2 = 9
4
𝑥2 . If 3 + 5√𝑥 = 2𝑥 and 𝑥 = 9, then
3 + 5√9 = 2(9)
3 + 5(3) = 1
3 + 15 = 18
18 = 18 . True

Therefore, 𝑥 = 9 is the only solution of 3 + 5√𝑥 = 2𝑥.

EXAMPLE 3. Solve each equation.

a. √2𝑥 − 1+ 3 = 0 b. √3𝑥 − 1 = 2
3 3

a. A. CHECK
SOLUTION
If√2𝑥 − 1 + 3 = 0 and x =-13,
3
(First, isolate the radical. Then, get
the cube of both sides.) then
3
a. √2𝑥 − 1 + 3 = 0
3
√2(−13) − 1 + 3 = 0
√−26 − 1 + 3 = 0
3 3
√2𝑥 − 1 = −3
3 3
( 3√2𝑥 − 1) = (−3)3 √−27 + 3 = 0
2𝑥 − 1 = −27 −3 + 3 = 0
2𝑥 = −21 + 1 0=0
2𝑥 = −26
𝑥 = −13
0 = 0. True

Hence, 𝑥 = −13 is the solution.

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 SOLUTION CHECK
b.
3
If √3𝑥 − 1 = 2 and 𝑥 = 3, then
3
√3𝑥 − 1 = 2
√3(3) − 1 = 2
3
3
( √3𝑥 − 1)3 = (2)3 3
√9 − 1 = 2
3𝑥 – 1 = 8 √8 = 2
3

3𝑥 = 8 + 1 2 = 2. True
3𝑥 = 9
𝑥 = 3

Thus, 𝑥 = 3 is the solution.

There are radical equations containing more than one radical. The
technique in solving equations of this type is to isolate any of the radicals on
the left side of the equation. Then, if the radical is a square root, square both
sides as many times as needed.

EXAMPLE 4. Solve each equation.

a.√3𝑥 + 3 - √5𝑥 − 1 = 0 b. 5𝑥 + 1 = = 1 + 3√𝑥

SOLUTION CHECK
a. √3𝑥 + 3 - √5𝑥 − 1 = 0 If √3𝑥 + 3 - √5𝑥 − 1 = 0
√3𝑥 + 3 = √5𝑥 − 1 and 𝑥 = 2, then
(√3𝑥 + 3)2 = (√5𝑥 − 1) 2 √3(2) + 3 - √5(2) − 1 = 0
3𝑥 + 3 = 5𝑥 – 1 √6+3 - √10-1 = 0
Combine like terms, √9 - √9 = 0
3𝑥 − 5𝑥 = −1 − 3 3– 3 = 0
−2𝑥 = −4 0 = 0. True
𝑥=2

Thus, 𝑥 = 2 is a solution.

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 SOLUTION By squaring CHECK
b. 5𝑥 + 1 = = 1 + 3√𝑥 the x1. If √5x+1 = 1 + 3√x and x = 0,
binomials
(√5x+1)2 = (1 + 3√x)2 then
5x + 1 = 1 + 2(1)(3√x) + 9x √5(0)+1 = 1 + 3√0
5x + 1 = 1 + 6√x + 9x √0+1 = 1 + 0
-6√x = 4x √1 = 1
By squaring both sides, 1 = 1. True
(-6√x)2 = (4x)2 x = 0 is a solution,
36x = 16x2 9
x2. If √5x+1 = 1 + 3√x and x = ,
-16x2 + 36x = 0 4
By Factoring, then
-4x(4x – 9) = 0 9
√5( )+1 = 1 + 3√
9
4 4
-4x = 0 or 4x – 9 = 0
9 45 3
x1 = 0 or x2 = √ +1 = 1 + 3( )
4 4 2
49 9
√ =1+2
4
7 11
≠ . False
2 2

Therefore, x = 0 is the only real

solution.

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III. WHAT HAVE I LEARNED
Direction: Give the real solution to each equation. (If the equation has
no real solution write “no real solution”) Write your answer on a
separate sheet.
1.√𝑥 = 2 4. √𝑥+ 12 = 0
2. √𝑥 = 5 5. √𝑥 - 4 = 3
3. √𝑥 − 8 = 0 6. √𝑥+ 9 = -1

POSTTEST:
Multiple Choice
Direction: Find the root of the following radical equations. Choose the
letter that corresponds to the correct answer. Write your answer on a
separate sheet.

1. √2𝑥 + 7 = 3
a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4

2. √3𝑥 + 7 = 7
a. 10 b. 12 c. 13 d. 14

3.√𝑥 − 5 - 7 = 0
a. 34 b. 44 c. 54 d. 64

4. 3 - √𝑥 − 4 = 0

a. 11 b. 13 c.14 d. 15

5. √𝑥 + 1 – 2 = 0
3

a. 3 b. 7 c. 9 d. 12

6. √3𝑥 + 9 = √6𝑥 + 15
3 3

a. 2 b. 3 c. -2 d. -3

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 REFERENCES

Bryant, M. et al. 2014. Mathematics Grade 9 Learner’s

Module First Edition. Pasig City: DepEd-IMCS

Orines, D. et al. 2018. Next Century Mathematics, Second Edition.

Quezon City. Phoenix Publishing House Inc.

SYNOPSIS
This Self Learning Kit (SLK) is made to
ANSWER KEY
help learners understand the concepts of
solving equations involving radical
expressions.
It enables learners to apply the steps
in solving radical equations-related
problems and relate the experience to
various challenges in real life. 6. 𝑥 = −2
5. 𝑥 = 7
4. 𝑥 = 13

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

3. 𝑥 = 54
2. 𝑥 = 14
1. 𝑥 = 1
POST TEST

6. No real solution
5. x = 49
4. no real solution
3. 𝑥 = 64
2. 𝑥 = 25
1. 𝑥 = 4
WHAT HAVE I LEARNED

ENRICO JOHN D. TISON, Secondary School Teacher II

of Masulog High School, Canlaon District II, Division of
6. c 4. d 5. a
3. b 1. c 2. d
Negros Oriental. A graduate of Bachelor of PRE-TEST:
Secondary Education, major in Mathematics at Bago
City College – Bago City, Negros Occidental, 2007.

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Education Program Supervisor in MATH

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Librarian II (LRMDS)

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PDO II (LRMDS)

ENRICO JOHN D. TISON

Writer

CHRISTIAN EVEN D. SANTILLAN

Illustrator/ Lay-out Artist
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