Given:
[tex] x^2=-169 [/tex]
To solve for x, we need to cancel the exponent. To cancel a square, we need to square root both sides.
[tex] \sqrt{x^2}=\sqrt{-169}[/tex]
The square root of 169 is 13, but since it is negative, we need to put the imaginary unit, [tex] i [/tex], in front of the answer. ([tex] i=\sqrt{-1} [/tex])
Simplify.
[tex] x=13i [/tex]
If you have not learned imaginary numbers or the imaginary unit yet, you could say that [tex] x=\sqrt{-169}[/tex].
