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PLZ HELP IM 100% LOST ON THIS

PLZ HELP IM 100% LOST ON THIS-example-1
User WolfgangP
by
5.1k points

1 Answer

6 votes

The equation
f(x)=g(x) is


|x-4|-11=-√(5x)

Some observations:


  • √(5x) is defined only as long as
    5x\ge0, or
    x\ge0
  • wherever
    √(5x) is defined, its value must be non-negative, so that
    -√(5x) is never positive
  • by the definition of absolute value, we have
    |x-4|=x-4 if
    x\ge4, and
    |x-4|=-(x-4)=4-x if
    x<4. Then


|x-4|-11=\begin{cases}x-15&amp;\text{for }x\ge4\\-x-7&amp;\text{for }x<4\end{cases}

If
x<4, the equation becomes


-x-7=-√(5x)\implies x+7=√(5x)

Taking the square of both sides gives


(x+7)^2=\left(√(5x)\right)^2\implies x^2+14x+49=5x\implies x^2+9x+49=0

but since the discriminant is
9^2-4\cdot1\cdot49<0, there are no real solutions.

If
x\ge4, then


x-15=-√(5x)

Taking squares gives


(x-15)^2=\left(-√(5x)\right)^2\implies x^2-30x+225=5x

and solving by the quadratic formula gives two potential solutions,


x=\frac{35\pm5√(13)}2

which have approximate values of 8.49 and 26.51.

We know for any value of
x that
g(x)\le0. We have
f(8.49)\approx-6.51 and
f(26.51)\approx11.51, so only the first solution 8.49 is valid.

User Amchew
by
5.1k points