View more at http://www.MathTutorDVD.com. In this lesson, you will learn how to solve equations in algebra that require the square root to be applied to both sides of the equation in order to isolate the variable. This usually happens when the variable is squared on one side of the equal sign. Care must be taken when applying radicals to both sides to include both solutions (the principal square root and non-principal square root). This is needed because the variable is squared and this will always lead to two solutions for the variable.