Solve: $(\sqrt{7} + 11)^2 = (x)^{\frac{1}{3}} + 2\sqrt{847} + 122$
Aptitude
Square Root and Cube Root
Difficulty: Hard
Choose an option
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A36+44\sqrt{7}
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B6
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C216
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D36
Answer
Correct Answer: 216
Explanation
Concept & Formula
Expand the binomial square on the left side using the standard algebraic identity, then simplify the radicals on the right side to balance the equation and isolate $x$.
$$ (a + b)^2 = a^2 + b^2 + 2ab $$
Step-by-Step Solution
* **Calculation:**
Expand the left-hand side (LHS):
$(\sqrt{7} + 11)^2 = (\sqrt{7})^2 + (11)^2 + 2(11)(\sqrt{7})$
$= 7 + 121 + 22\sqrt{7}$
$= 128 + 22\sqrt{7}$
* Simplify the radical on the right-hand side (RHS):
Notice that 847 is divisible by 7 (since $847 \div 7 = 121$).
$\sqrt{847} = \sqrt{121 \times 7} = 11\sqrt{7}$
So, $2\sqrt{847} = 2(11\sqrt{7}) = 22\sqrt{7}$
* Reconstruct the equation:
$128 + 22\sqrt{7} = x^{\frac{1}{3}} + 22\sqrt{7} + 122$
* Cancel out $22\sqrt{7}$ from both sides:
$128 = x^{\frac{1}{3}} + 122$
* Isolate $x^{\frac{1}{3}}$:
$x^{\frac{1}{3}} = 128 - 122$
$x^{\frac{1}{3}} = 6$
* Cube both sides to find $x$:
$x = 6^3 = 216$
Exam Strategy & Shortcut
When you see a mixed radical term like $2\sqrt{847}$ on one side and a binomial expansion with $\sqrt{7}$ on the other, anticipate that the irrational parts will cancel out. Immediately check if $847 / 7$ is a perfect square. It is (121). This instantly tells you $2\sqrt{847} = 22\sqrt{7}$, which perfectly cancels the $2ab$ term from the LHS expansion, leaving only simple integer arithmetic.
Common Pitfall
A major pitfall is forgetting that $x^{\frac{1}{3}}$ means the cube root of $x$, and incorrectly taking the square root or dividing by 3 at the final step. Always remember to cube the result to isolate $x$ when dealing with a one-third power.
Final Answer
**Therefore, the correct answer is 216.**