Problem 8
Solve the equation
Solution
a) Multiply both sides by the common denominator
b) Expand each term. Compute:
and
Since the second term is subtracted, it becomes
Thus, the left-hand side becomes
The right-hand side expands to
c) Form the equation:
Subtract the right-hand side from the left:
d) Divide by 3:
Since
Thus,
e) Check that
Answer: