To solve the equation \( x^2 = 81 \) using square roots, follow these steps:
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Identify the equation: We have \( x^2 = 81 \).
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Take the square root of both sides: When we take the square root of both sides, we need to remember that there are both positive and negative roots. Thus, we write: \[ x = \pm \sqrt{81} \]
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Calculate the square root: The square root of 81 is 9. Therefore: \[ x = \pm 9 \]
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Write the final answers: This gives us two solutions: \[ x = 9 \quad \text{and} \quad x = -9 \]
In summary, the solutions to the equation \( x^2 = 81 \) are \( x = 9 \) and \( x = -9 \).