Could you please help me with this math question?

[danj]

The question asks "The given equation is either linear or equivalent to a linear equation. Solve the equation.

(t-4)^2 = (t+4)^2+32

I tried to raise both sides to ^1/2. I ended up with t-t on one side of the equation?
Do I need to factor?

 

[ksdhart]

While you certainly can solve the problem by taking the square root of both sides, that will get ugly in a hurry. But there's a far simpler way of doing it. You know you can rewrite (t-4)² as (t-4)(t-4). What do you get if you expand that out? And on the other side you have (t+4)². What do you get if you expand that?. And then do you see an equation you can solve?

 

[danj]

Thanks I figured I out now!