In 1–4 sentences, answer the following prompt: What is an extraneous solution of a rational equation?

1 answer

An extraneous solution of a rational equation is a solution that arises from the algebraic manipulation of the equation but does not satisfy the original equation. This often occurs when both sides of the equation are multiplied by a variable expression that could be zero, leading to potential solutions that are not valid when substituted back into the original equation. It's important to check each solution in the original equation to identify these extraneous solutions.