Provide an appropriate response.What value of x will make the following equation true? Explain your answer.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

x = - . Since neither square root can have a value less than 0, both must equal 0 for their sum to be 0. For a square root to equal 0, its radicand must also equal 0. Thus, -3x - 1 = -9x - 3 = 0, which yields the solution x = - . (Explanations will vary.)