A. Solve the following equations and check your solutions.

1. x 4 −81=0

Solution: x 4 −81=0
( x 2−9)( x 2 +9)=0

( x +3 ) ( x −3 ) ( x2 +9 )=0
x +3=0 x=−3
x−3=0 x=3

x 2+ 9=0 x=3 i
Check:
If x= −3, x 4 −81=0
(−3)4 −81=0
81−81=0
0=0

If x= 3, x 4 −81=0
(3)4 −81=0
81−81=0
0=0

If x= 3 i, x 4 −81=0
(3 i)4 −81=0

( 3 )4 ¿
81(1)−81=0
81−81=0
0=0
2. x 3−3 x 2−x+ 3=0

Solution:

x 3−3 x 2−x+ 3=0

( x 3−3 x 2 ) +(−x +3)=0
x 2 ( x−3 )−1(x−3)=0
( x ¿¿ 2−1)(x−3)=0 ¿
( x +1)( x −1)(x−3)=0
x +1=0 x=−1
x−1=0 x=1
x−3=0 x=3
Check:

If x=−1, x 3−3 x 2−x+ 3=0

(−1)3−3 (−1 )2−(−1 ) +3=0
−1−3 ( 1 ) +1+3=0
−1−3+ 1+ 3=0
0=0

If x=1, x 3−3 x 2−x+ 3=0

(1)3−3 ( 1 )2−( 1 ) +3=0

1−3 ( 1 )−1+3=0
1−3−1+3=0
0=0

If x= 3, x 3−3 x 2−x+ 3=0

(3)3−3 ( 3 )2−(3)+3=0
27−27−3+3=0
0=0

1 8
3. + + 15=0
x2 x
Solution:
1 8
+ + 15=0
x2 x
1 8
2
(x ¿ ( + +15=0
x2 x )
1+8 x+ 15 x 2=0
15 x 2+ 8 x +1=0

−b ± √ b2−4 ac
x=
2a

−(8) ± √ (8)2−4 ( 15 ) (1)

x=
2(15)
−8 ± √64−60
x=
30
−8 ± √ 4
x=
30
−8 ± 2 −8−2 −8+2
x= x= x=
30 30 30
 −10 −6
x= x=
30 30
−1 −1
x= x=
3 5

Check:
−1 1 8
If x= + + 15=0
3 x2 x
1 8
2
+ +15=0
−1 −1
( )
3 3

1 8
+ +15=0
1 −1
9 3
9−24+15=0
24−24=0
0=0
−1 1 8
If x= + + 15=0
5 x2 x
1 8
2
+ +15=0
−1 −1
( )
5 5

1 8
+ +15=0
1 −1
25 5
25−40+15=0
40−40=0
0=0

4. √ x−√ x−5=1

Solution:

√ x−√ x−5=1
−√ x−5=1−√ x
−(− √ x−5=1−√ x )

√ x−5=−1+ √ x
2 2
( √ x−5 ) = (−1+ √ x )
2
x−5=(−1 )2+ 2 (−1 ) (√ x ¿+ ( √ x )

x−5=1−2 √ x + x
x−x +2 √ x=1+5
2 √ x=6
2√ x 6
=
2 2
 √ x=3
2
( √ x ) = ( 3 )2
x=9

Check:

√ x−√ x−5=1
√ 9−√ 9−5=1
3−√ 4=1
3−2=1
1=1

5. |x−15|=x 2−15 x

Solution:

x−15=x 2−15 x −( x−15)=x 2−15 x

−x 2+ 15 x + x−15=0 −x +15=x 2−15 x

−x 2+ 16 x−15=0 −x 2+ 15 x− x+15=0
−(−x¿¿ 2+16 x−15=0)¿ −(−x2 +14 x +15=0)

x 2−16 x+ 15=0 ¿ x 2−14 x−15=0

( x−1 ) ( x−15 )=0 ( x +1 )( x−15 )=0
x=1 x=−1
x=15 x=15

Check:
If x= 1, If x= 15,
|x−15|=x 2−15 x |x−15|=x 2−15 x
|1−15|=(1)2 −15(1) |15−15|= (15 )2−15(15)
|−14|=1−15 |0|=225−225
14 ≠−14 0=0

If x= −1,
|x−15|=x 2−15 x
|−1−15|=(−1)2−15 (−1 )
|−16|=1+15
16=16