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Mth 174

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Math Problem

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y(0)=100

2*square root of y=-.2*t+c where c is the arbitrary constant.

The first step you said to do was divide both sides by two.

square root of y=-.1t+c I understand that c absorbs the two so that it's another constant however in the next step, we square both sides to get y=(-.1t+c)^2. And the c doesn't absorb the square. Given Solution=

y=(-.1(0)+c)^2

y=c^2

100=c^2

10=c

How do I know which values c can or can't absorb????

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In the example above, why can't c absorb the square to become c again????

@& (a + c)^2 is not equal to a + c. (If you square a + c you see why, the result being a^2 + 2 a c + c^2, not a^2 + c^2).

If c is constant, then c / 2 is also constant. Since c was arbitrary and undetermined to start with, the same is so for c / 2. Since c / 2 is an arbitrary undetermined number we might as well just call it c.

Let me know if this helps.*@