A radical equation is an equation with a radical in the equation. Taking both sides of a radical equation to the power which matches the root will normally be the approach to removing the radical so that you can solve for the variable. If the radical is only one term on a side of the equation, squaring both sides will not get rid of the radical in one step.

Let's look at an example:
 

Solve for s:	Given Problem
	Cube both sides of the equation
	Subtract 1 from both sides of the equation
	It checks.

Now let's look at a more difficult example:
 

Solve for y:	Given Problem
	Square both sides of the equation
	Combine like terms
	Isolate the root on one side of the equation
	Square both sides of the equation again
	Multiply and rearrange terms
	Subtract from both sides of the equation
	Add 24y to both sides
	Divide both sides by 4
	Substitute 9 into original statement and check
There is no solution	It does not check. The 9 which our algebra gave us is called an extraneous solution, because it does not check.

You can see what would have happened if we had not checked our work. In solving radical equations we must check our work because extraneous solutions are possible.