21-Step Aerobics
Post date: Sep 11, 2011 1:49:7 PM
"Oh, c'mon," Para said, elbowing Root slightly. "Is my suggestion really that much of a stretch?"
"Okay, okay," Root yielded. He stood back up and tapped at his electronic pad. "Then it's 3 root(4x - 20) + 1... simplified. Root, transforming!" he concluded, his stance similar to Para's from before.
With no bow to light up, however, a headband labelled (5, 1) simply wrapped about his head, as Root held up the display on his pad. Maud frowned. "Six? Five? Where are these numbers coming from?"
Root sighed. "Fine, fine, showing my work." He hit a button on his pad and scrolled the screen back to show:
(3)root(4x-20)+1
= (3)(root(4(x-5))+1
= (3)root(4)root(x-5)+1
= (3)(2)root(x-5)+1
= 6 root(x - 5) + 1
"What if that's not a perfect square under the root?" Maud asked. "Seems you'd have another horizontal piece."
"Nope, vertical component gets surds," Root countered.
Para chuckled. "Root's work outs avoid side stretches."