Determine the Domain of the Radical Function: √(2.5x²-5)

Question

Look at the following function:

2.5x255 \frac{\sqrt{2.5x^2-5}}{5}

What is the domain of the function?

Video Solution

Solution Steps

00:00 Does the function have a domain of definition? If so, what is it?
00:03 The domain of definition in the denominator is to prevent division by 0
00:06 Therefore, from the denominator's perspective there is no domain of definition, let's check the numerator
00:10 A root must exist for a positive number
00:18 Let's set it equal to 0 to find the solutions
00:23 Let's isolate X
00:37 When extracting a root there are always 2 solutions, positive and negative
00:44 Let's graph to find the domain of definition
00:53 Between the solutions, any value of X necessarily creates a negative root
00:58 And 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:

2.5x250 2.5x^2 - 5 \geq 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 x : 2.5x25 2.5x^2 \geq 5
  • Step 2: Solve for x2 x^2 by dividing both sides by 2.5: x252.5 x^2 \geq \frac{5}{2.5}
  • Step 3: Simplify the fraction: x22 x^2 \geq 2
  • Step 4: Solve for x x by taking the square root of both sides, considering positive and negative solutions: x2orx2 x \geq \sqrt{2} \quad \text{or} \quad x \leq -\sqrt{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 2.5x255 \frac{\sqrt{2.5x^2-5}}{5} is x2 x \ge \sqrt{2} or x2 x \le -\sqrt{2} .

The correct choice among the provided options is:

x2,x2 x \ge \sqrt{2}, x \le -\sqrt{2}

Answer

x2,x2 x\ge\sqrt{2},x\le-\sqrt{2}