Determine the Domain of the Radical Function: √(2.5x²-5)
Question
Look at the following function:
52.5x2−5
What is the domain of the function?
Video Solution
Solution Steps
00:00Does the function have a domain of definition? If so, what is it?
00:03The domain of definition in the denominator is to prevent division by 0
00:06Therefore, from the denominator's perspective there is no domain of definition, let's check the numerator
00:10A root must exist for a positive number
00:18Let's set it equal to 0 to find the solutions
00:23Let's isolate X
00:37When extracting a root there are always 2 solutions, positive and negative
00:44Let's graph to find the domain of definition
00:53Between the solutions, any value of X necessarily creates a negative root
00:58And this is the solution to the question
Step-by-Step Solution
To solve this problem, first, we determine the condition under the square root function by solving:
2.5x2−5≥0.
This inequality ensures that the expression inside the square root is non-negative, a requirement for the square root function to be defined over real numbers.
Step 1: Simplify the inequality:
First, add 5 to both sides to isolate the term involving x:
2.5x2≥5
Step 2: Solve for x2 by dividing both sides by 2.5:
x2≥2.55
Step 3: Simplify the fraction:
x2≥2
Step 4: Solve for x by taking the square root of both sides, considering positive and negative solutions:
x≥2orx≤−2
These conditions define the interval for which the original function is defined, corresponding to the original prompt requirement of a non-negative under-the-root value.
Thus, the domain of the function 52.5x2−5 is x≥2 or x≤−2.