The Quadratic Formula: Using fractions

To solve the equation $\frac{1}{(x-2)^2} + \frac{1}{x-2} = 1$, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Identify the expressions $\frac{1}{(x-2)^2}$ and $\frac{1}{x-2}$.
• Step 2: Combine the fractions by using a common denominator.
• Step 3: Multiply through by the common denominator and simplify.
• Step 4: Rearrange the resulting equation to form a quadratic equation.
• Step 5: Solve the quadratic equation using the quadratic formula.

Carrying out these steps:

Step 2: The common denominator is $(x-2)^2$. Rewrite the equation as:
$\frac{1}{(x-2)^2} + \frac{x-2}{(x-2)^2} = 1$.

Step 3: Combine the fractions:
$\frac{1 + (x-2)}{(x-2)^2} = 1$.

Step 3: Simplifying gives:
$\frac{x-1}{(x-2)^2} = 1$.

Step 3: Cross-multiply to eliminate the fraction:
$x - 1 = (x-2)^2$.

Step 4: Expand the right-hand side:
$x - 1 = x^2 - 4x + 4$.

Step 4: Rearrange to form a quadratic equation:
$x^2 - 5x + 5 = 0$.

Step 5: Use the quadratic formula $x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}$. Here, $a = 1$, $b = -5$, $c = 5$:
$x = \frac{5 \pm \sqrt{25 - 20}}{2}$.

Step 5: Simplify:
$x = \frac{5 \pm \sqrt{5}}{2}$.

This results in two potential solutions for $x$:
$x = \frac{1}{2}[5+\sqrt{5}]$ and $x = \frac{1}{2}[5-\sqrt{5}]$.

Therefore, the solution to the problem is $x = \frac{1}{2}[5 \pm \sqrt{5}]$, which matches the correct answer choice.

To solve this equation, we follow these steps:

• Step 1: Multiply both sides by $(x-1)^2$ to eliminate the fraction.
• Step 2: Expand and simplify both sides of the equation.
• Step 3: Rearrange the equation to form a polynomial equal to zero.
• Step 4: Solve the resulting polynomial using factorization or the quadratic formula.

Now, let's execute these steps:

Step 1: Multiply both sides by $(x-1)^2$:
$(x^3 + 1) = (x + 4)(x - 1)^2$

Step 2: Expand the right side:
$(x + 4)(x^2 - 2x + 1) = x(x^2 - 2x + 1) + 4(x^2 - 2x + 1)$

Calculating each part yields:
$x(x^2 - 2x + 1) = x^3 - 2x^2 + x$
$4(x^2 - 2x + 1) = 4x^2 - 8x + 4$

Add these together:
$x^3 - 2x^2 + x + 4x^2 - 8x + 4 = x^3 + 2x^2 - 7x + 4$

Step 3: Combine terms and rearrange:
$x^3 + 1 = x^3 + 2x^2 - 7x + 4$

Simplify by cancelling $x^3$ from both sides:
$1 = 2x^2 - 7x + 4$

Move 1 to the right side:
$0 = 2x^2 - 7x + 3$

Step 4: Solve the quadratic equation $2x^2 - 7x + 3 = 0$.

Using the quadratic formula, $x = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}$, where $a = 2$, $b = -7$, and $c = 3$.

Calculate the discriminant:
$b^2 - 4ac = (-7)^2 - 4 \cdot 2 \cdot 3 = 49 - 24 = 25$

Now plug into the quadratic formula:
$x = \frac{7 \pm \sqrt{25}}{4}$

Simplify:
$x = \frac{7 \pm 5}{4}$

Two solutions arise:
$x = \frac{12}{4} = 3$ and $x = \frac{2}{4} = \frac{1}{2}$

Since $x = 1$ would make the denominator zero, it is not a valid solution for the original equation.

Therefore, the solution to the problem is $x = 3$ or $x = \frac{1}{2}$.

To solve this problem, we'll follow these steps:

• Step 1: Cross-multiply the given equation to eliminate fractions.
• Step 2: Expand the squared terms on either side of the equation.
• Step 3: Rearrange terms to form a quadratic equation.
• Step 4: Solve the quadratic equation to find possible values for $x$.

Now, let's work through each step:

Step 1: Begin with the given equation:
$\frac{(\frac{1}{x} + \frac{1}{2})^2}{(\frac{1}{x} + \frac{1}{3})^2} = \frac{81}{64}$. Cross-multiply to eliminate fractions:
$(\frac{1}{x} + \frac{1}{2})^2 \times 64 = (\frac{1}{x} + \frac{1}{3})^2 \times 81$.

Step 2: Expand each squared term:
For $(\frac{1}{x} + \frac{1}{2})^2$, use $(a + b)^2 = a^2 + 2ab + b^2$:
$(\frac{1}{x})^2 + 2(\frac{1}{x})(\frac{1}{2}) + (\frac{1}{2})^2 = \frac{1}{x^2} + \frac{1}{x} + \frac{1}{4}$.
Similarly, $(\frac{1}{x} + \frac{1}{3})^2 = \frac{1}{x^2} + \frac{2}{3x} + \frac{1}{9}$.

Step 3: Substitute these into the cross-multiplied equation:
$64\left(\frac{1}{x^2} + \frac{1}{x} + \frac{1}{4}\right) = 81\left(\frac{1}{x^2} + \frac{2}{3x} + \frac{1}{9}\right)$.

Step 4: Simplify and collect like terms:
$64(\frac{1}{x^2} + \frac{1}{x} + \frac{1}{4}) = (64\frac{1}{x^2} + 64\frac{1}{x} + 16)$,
$81(\frac{1}{x^2} + \frac{2}{3x} + \frac{1}{9}) = (81\frac{1}{x^2} + 54\frac{1}{x} + 9)$.

Equating terms gives:
$64\frac{1}{x^2} + 64\frac{1}{x} + 16 = 81\frac{1}{x^2} + 54\frac{1}{x} + 9$.

Step 5: Solve the quadratic equation:
Combine like terms: $-17\frac{1}{x^2} + 10\frac{1}{x} + 7 = 0$.
Let $y = \frac{1}{x}$. Substitute to get: $-17y^2 + 10y + 7 = 0$.
Multiply the entire equation by -1 to simplify: $17y^2 - 10y - 7 = 0$.

Using the quadratic formula $y = \frac{-b \pm \sqrt{b^2 - 4ac}}{2a}$ where $a=17$, $b=-10$, $c=-7$:
$y = \frac{10 \pm \sqrt{(-10)^2 - 4 \times 17 \times (-7)}}{2 \times 17}$
$y = \frac{10 \pm \sqrt{100 + 476}}{34}$
$y = \frac{10 \pm \sqrt{576}}{34}$
$y = \frac{10 \pm 24}{34}$
Which gives:
$y = \frac{34}{34} = 1$ or $y = -\frac{14}{34} = -\frac{7}{17}$.

Since $y = \frac{1}{x}$:
For $y=1$, $x = \frac{1}{y} = 1$.
For $y=-\frac{7}{17}$, $x = \frac{1}{y} = -\frac{17}{7}$.

Therefore, the solutions for $x$ are $x = 1$ and $x = -\frac{17}{7}$.

Checking the correct answer choice, these correspond to the second choice.

Thus, the solution to the problem is $x = 1, -\frac{17}{7}$.

To solve the equation $\frac{x^3 + 1}{(x+1)^2} = x$, we will follow these steps:

• Step 1: Set up the equation for solving by cross-multiplying.
• Step 2: Simplify and solve the resulting polynomial equation.
• Step 3: Solve for the values of $x$.

Let's work through the solution:

Step 1: Cross-multiply to eliminate the fraction:

Expand the right-hand side:

Step 2: Set the expanded equation equal:

Cancel $x^3$ from both sides:

Re-arrange the equation to form a standard quadratic equation:

Step 3: Solve the quadratic equation using the quadratic formula:

The quadratic formula is:

Substitute the values of $a$, $b$, and $c$ into the formula:

Calculate the discriminant and simplify:

Simplify further:

This gives the solutions:

Since $x = -1$ would make the denominator zero, it is not allowed as a solution. Thus, the only valid solution is:

Therefore, the solution to the equation is $x = \frac{1}{2}$.

In order to solve the equation, start by removing the denominators.

To do this, we'll multiply the denominators:

$(2x+1)^2\cdot(2x+1)+(x+2)^2\cdot(x+2)=4.5x(2x+1)(x+2)$

Open the parentheses on the left side, making use of the distributive property:

$(4x^2+4x+1)\cdot(2x+1)+(x^2+4x+4)\cdot(x+2)=4.5x(2x+1)(x+2)$

Continue to open the parentheses on the right side of the equation:

$(4x^2+4x+1)\cdot(2x+1)+(x^2+4x+4)\cdot(x+2)=4.5x(2x^2+5x+2)$

Simplify further:

$(4x^2+4x+1)\cdot(2x+1)+(x^2+4x+4)\cdot(x+2)=9x^3+22.5x+9x$

Go back and simplify the parentheses on the left side of the equation:

$8x^3+8x^2+2x+4x^2+4x+1+x^3+4x^2+4x+2x^2+8x+8=9x^3+22.5x+9x$

Combine like terms:

$9x^3+18x^2+18x+9=9x^3+22.5x+9x$

Notice that all terms can be divided by 9 as shown below:

$x^3+2x^2+2x+1=x^3+2.5x+x$

Move all numbers to one side:

$x^3-x^3+2x^2-2.5x^2+2x-x+9=0$

We obtain the following:

$0.5x^2-x-1=0$

In order to remove the one-half coefficient, multiply the entire equation by 2

$x^2-2x-2=0$

Apply the square root formula, as shown below-

$\frac{2±\sqrt{12}}{2}$

Apply the properties of square roots in order to simplify the square root of 12:

$\frac{2±2\sqrt{3}}{2}$Divide both the numerator and denominator by 2 as follows:

$1±\sqrt{3}$

To solve this problem, we will follow these steps:

• Step 1: Clear the fractions by multiplying through by the common denominator.
• Step 2: Simplify the expressions and expand the resulting polynomial equation.
• Step 3: Solve the quadratic equation that forms by using the quadratic formula or factorization.
• Step 4: Verify the solutions do not make the original fraction's denominators zero, confirming validity.

Step 1: Multiply both sides of the equation by the least common denominator, $(x-2)(2x-1)$, to eliminate the fractions:

$(2x-1)^2 \cdot (2x-1) + (x-2)^2 \cdot (x-2) = 4.5x \cdot (x-2)(2x-1)$

This simplifies to:

$(2x-1)^3 + (x-2)^3 = 4.5x(x-2)(2x-1)$

Step 2: Expand both sides:

Left Side: $(2x-1)^3 + (x-2)^3$

Right Side: $4.5x(x-2)(2x-1)$

Let's break down the left side:

• $(2x-1)^3 = (2x-1)(4x^2-4x+1) = 8x^3-12x^2+6x-1$
• $(x-2)^3 = (x-2)(x^2-4x+4) = x^3-6x^2+12x-8$

Adding these gives:

$9x^3 - 18x^2 + 18x - 9$

Expand the right side:

$9x^3 - 18x^2 + 9x = 4.5 \cdot (2x^3 - 5x^2 + 4x)$

$= 9x^3 - 22.5x^2 + 18x$

Step 3: Set the equation:

$9x^3 - 18x^2 + 18x - 9 = 9x^3 - 22.5x^2 + 18x$

Upon simplification:

-9 = -4.5x^2

Solving gives: $x^2 = 2$

Step 4: Solving for x, $x = \pm \sqrt{2}$ or $x = -1 \pm \sqrt{3}$.

Only $x = -1 \pm \sqrt{3}$ falls into the choice. Verify: $x \neq 2$.

Therefore, the solution to the problem is $x = -1 \pm \sqrt{3}$.