Name: Jennifer

Who is asking: Student
Level: Secondary

Question: How would I solve this equation? 1.6 = 2x/(.1-x) - the equation in parenthesises is raised to the second power. I know you take the square root of both sides, but there is where I get lost.

Taking the square root of both sides of 1.6 = 2x/(0.1-x)² is one way to begin solving this, but rather than do that, I would multiply both sides of the equation by (0.1-x)² to get rid of the rational expression on the right hand side.

Next I would expand the square of (0.1-x) to get

1.6 (0.01 - 0.2x + x²) = 2x

Now simplify, group all terms on one side so that it is set equal to zero and solve like any regular quadratic equation. If factoring the final form doesn't work, try using the quadratic formula.