locus quickie (1 Viewer)

[cloud edwards]

Why does one square the equation in the attached picture.

question: Find the equation of the locus of point P(x,y) that is equidistant from
fixed point A(1,-2) and fixed line with equation y = 5.

PA=PB
PA^2=PB^2 (WHY DO WE DO THIS LINE)

 

[1729]

Why does one square the equation in the attached picture.

question: Find the equation of the locus of point P(x,y) that is equidistant from
fixed point A(1,-2) and fixed line with equation y = 5.

PA=PB
PA^2=PB^2 (WHY DO WE DO THIS LINE)

 

[pumpNdump]

how can u undo the root if u've been rooted? it makes no sense

 

[1729]

how can u undo the root if u've been rooted? it makes no sense

The root can be undone by squaring both sides, which is the answer to your question.

 

[pumpNdump]

The root can be undone by squaring both sides, which is the answer to your question.

i mean if u get rooted, how can u undo the root? the damage has been done.

 

[bujolover]

i mean if u get rooted, how can u undo the root? the damage has been done.

There's no "damage" being done, whatever that means. Square rooting and squaring are inverse operations, so squaring the square root gets a similar result. Since it's an equation, not just a raw expression, you're not actually affecting the answer in any way as long as you do the same operation to both sides. You will eventually get the correct answer. Squaring makes it easier to work with the equation than sticking to cumbersome square root expressions.

Hope this makes sense.