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Bunuel
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Step 1: Multiply x by 3.
= 3x
Step 2: Take the square root of the result of step 1.
= (3x)^0.5
Step 3: Take the reciprocal of the result of step 2.
=(3x)^(-0.5)
Step 4: Add 1 to the result of step 3.
= 1 + [(3x)^(-0.5)] = ( 1 + [(3x)^(0.5)] )/ [(3x)^(0.5)]
Step 5: Square the result of step 4.
( 1 + [(3x)^(0.5)] )/ [(3x)^(0.5)]^2
= ( 1 + [(3x)^(0.5)] )^2/3x
= [1 + 3x + 2*(3x)^(0.5)]/3x

Hence D
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Bunuel
Step 1: Multiply x by 3.
Step 2: Take the square root of the result of step 1.
Step 3: Take the reciprocal of the result of step 2.
Step 4: Add 1 to the result of step 3.
Step 5: Square the result of step 4.
The five steps shown will result in an expression equivalent to which of the following?

A. \(\frac{1 + 3x}{3x}\)

B. \(\frac{1 + 9x}{9x}\)

C. \(\frac{1}{3x + 3\sqrt{3x} +1}\)

D. \(\frac{1 + 2\sqrt{3x} +3x}{3x}\)

E. \(\frac{1 + 6\sqrt{x} +9x}{9x}\)

Step 1: 3x

Step 2: √(3x)

Step 3: 1/√(3x)

Step 4: 1/√(3x) + 1 =1/√(3x) + √(3x)/√(3x) =
[1 + √(3x)]/√(3x)

Step 5: [[1 + √(3x)]/√(3x)]^2 =
(1 + 2√(3x) + 3x)/(3x)

Answer: D
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Harsha
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What might be easier for some people in this case is to plug in a number as well since we are multiplying by 3 and then taking a square root it makes sense to take 3 as our "x".

1. 3*3=9
2. Square Root of 9 is 3
3. Reciprocal of 3 is 1/3
4.Add 1 which is 3/3 so your new number is 4/3
5. Square 4/3 to get 16/9. Which is the number you will be checking for.

A. (1+3*3)/3*3 No
B. (1+9*3)/9*3 No
ETC
Until D where (1+2*Squared root (3*3) + 3*3)/3*3 gives us

(1+3+9)/3*3=16/9 Answer Choice D
Bunuel
Step 1: Multiply x by 3.
Step 2: Take the square root of the result of step 1.
Step 3: Take the reciprocal of the result of step 2.
Step 4: Add 1 to the result of step 3.
Step 5: Square the result of step 4.
The five steps shown will result in an expression equivalent to which of the following?

A. \(\frac{1 + 3x}{3x}\)

B. \(\frac{1 + 9x}{9x}\)

C. \(\frac{1}{3x + 3\sqrt{3x} +1}\)

D. \(\frac{1 + 2\sqrt{3x} +3x}{3x}\)

E. \(\frac{1 + 6\sqrt{x} +9x}{9x}\)
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Why did we not rationalise the donminator after step 4? I got confused doing this and could not get to the right answer :(
MartyMurray
The five steps shown will result in an expression equivalent to which of the following?

Step 1: Multiply x by 3.

\(3x\)

Step 2: Take the square root of the result of step 1.

\(\sqrt{3x}\)

Step 3: Take the reciprocal of the result of step 2.

\(\frac{1}{\sqrt{3x}\)

Step 4: Add 1 to the result of step 3.

\(\frac{1}{\sqrt{3x}} + 1 = \frac{1 + \sqrt{3x}}{\sqrt{3x}}\)

Step 5: Square the result of step 4.

\(\frac{1 + 2\sqrt{3x} +3x}{3x}\)

The correct answer is (D).
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