Question

In 1–2 sentences, answer the following prompt:

What is an extraneous solution of a rational equation?

Answer 1

An extraneous solution is a value that appears among the algebraic solutions of a rational equation but does not satisfy the original equation. This usually happens because the value makes a denominator zero or was introduced by a manipulation (e.g., multiplying by an expression or squaring), so you must check candidates in the original equation.