Changes

::Please solve for x: <math>x^2 = 9</math>, and show the steps (no calculators allowed). By the way, there is a hilarious science fiction story about a guy who calculates a massive slippage of the San Andreas fault, and predicts that Western CA (LA) will fall into the ocean.  The "hook" at the end is he discovers he took the wrong root at some point, and it's the ''rest of the US'' that slides into the ocean. Presented for comic relief. [[User:Human|Human]] 15:12, 24 April 2007 (EDT)

::Please solve for x: <math>x^2 = 9</math>, and show the steps (no calculators allowed). By the way, there is a hilarious science fiction story about a guy who calculates a massive slippage of the San Andreas fault, and predicts that Western CA (LA) will fall into the ocean.  The "hook" at the end is he discovers he took the wrong root at some point, and it's the ''rest of the US'' that slides into the ocean. Presented for comic relief. [[User:Human|Human]] 15:12, 24 April 2007 (EDT)

:::It's a matter of notation. <math>\sqrt{x}</math> refers only to the positive square root, while <math>-\sqrt{x}</math> refers only to the negative square root.  If we are describing both square roots, the +/- is required.

:::It's a matter of notation. <math>\sqrt{x}</math> refers only to the positive square root, while <math>-\sqrt{x}</math> refers only to the negative square root.  If we are describing both square roots, the +/- is required. [[User:Scriabin|Scriabin]] 15:15, 24 April 2007 (EDT)

== negative numbers ==

== negative numbers ==