Seth solved a quadratic equation. His work is shown below, with Step 3 missing.
What could Seth have written as the result from Step 3?
+ (x 1)2 + 5 = 23
5(x - 1)2 = 18
Step 1
(x - 1)2 = 36
Step 2
Step 3
x = -5 or = 7
Step 4

|x - 1| = 6

Step-by-step explanation:

After step 2, we have that:

(x - 1)^2 = 36

and after step 4, we have the results:

x = -5 or x = 7

After step 2, what we can do in step 3 is: use square root in both sides of the equation:

|x - 1| = 6

This equation can be split in two:

x - 1 = 6 -> x = 7

x - 1 = -6 -> x = -5

So Seth could write this equation in step 3:

|x - 1| = 6

associative property of multiplication