Question

Solve y^2 = -64, where y is a real number

Answer 1

Answer:

N/A, y is NOT a real number.

Explanation:

To solve for y, you would have to take the square root of both sides of the equation

if one of the sides is a negative number (which is the case currently), there is no solution.

If -64 was positive, then y could be solved for, but as it is negative, that is not possible.

Answer 2

Answer:

There is no solution to this equation in the Real number system

Step-by-step explanation:

There is no number which squared could render a negative number.

so

$y^2=-64$

has NO SOLUTIONS in the Real number system. the equation has solutions only if we expand the solution set to the complex numbers.