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Extraneous Solution
Spurious Solution

A solution of a simplified version of an equation that does not satisfy the original equation. Watch out for extraneous solutions when solving equations with a variable in the denominator of a rational expression, with a variable in the argument of a logarithm, or a variable as the radicand in an nth root when n is an even number.

 

 


  this page updated 15-jul-23
Mathwords: Terms and Formulas from Algebra I to Calculus
written, illustrated, and webmastered by Bruce Simmons
Copyright © 2000 by Bruce Simmons
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