Question

Solve x2=7^8 by inspection. There are two real solutions. Enter the lesser number first, and use exponents in your responses. (1 point) {,}

Answer 1

By inspection, we can see that the number 7 is raised to the power of 4 in the given equation: x^2 = 7^8.

Therefore, we can rewrite the equation as: x^2 = (7^4)^2.

Taking the square root on both sides, we get: x = 7^4.

Now, evaluating 7^4: 7^4 = 2401.

So, the solutions to the equation x^2 = 7^8 are x = 2401 and -2401.

The lesser number is -2401.

Therefore, the solution is: -2401.