Algebra II: 1001 Practice Problems For Dummies (+ Free Online Practice)
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A radical equation is one that starts out with a square root, cube root, or some other root and gets changed into another form to make the solving process easier. A rational equation is one that involves a fractional expression — usually with a polynomial in the numerator and denominator. Avoid these mistakes when working with radical or rational equations:

  • Forgetting to check for extraneous solutions

  • Squaring a binomial incorrectly when squaring both sides to get rid of the radical

  • Distributing correctly when writing equivalent fractions using a common denominator

  • Eliminating solutions that create a 0 in the denominator

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Mary Jane Sterling is the author of Algebra I For Dummies, Algebra Workbook For Dummies, and many other For Dummies books. She taught at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois for more than 30 years, teaching algebra, business calculus, geometry, and finite mathematics.

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