How do you solve the equation 6+sqrt(2x+11)=-x?

1 Answer
Aug 6, 2017

x in O/

Explanation:

For starters, you know that when working with real numbers, you can only take the square root of a positive number, so you can say that you must have

2x + 11 >= 0 implies x >= -11/2

Moreover, the square root of a positive number can only return a positive number, so you also know that

sqrt(2x + 11) >= 0

This implies that

overbrace(6 + sqrt(2x + 11))^(color(blue)(>= 6)) = -x

So you can say that

-x >= 6 implies x <= -6 or x in (-oo, -6]

However, you already know that you need to have x >= -11/2, or x in [-11/2, + oo).

Since

(-oo, - 6] nn [-11/2, + oo) = O/

you can say that the original equation has no real solution, or x in O/.