Why does squaring an expression with 2 subtracting terms work?

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This expression can be simplified as: $$\sqrt{(x-\frac32)^2} = x - \frac32$$

Even though: $$k^2 = m^2 + n^2 \to \sqrt{k^2} = \sqrt{m^2 + n^2} \to k = \pm\sqrt{m^2 + n^2}$$

You can not remove the right-hand radical sign in the second example even though it is allowed in the first example.

Why is this so? Why can this be applied to other problems?

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Square root is a well defined function, in other words, for any element in the domain there is only one unique function value.

When you solve $x^2=9$, you square root both side, that gives you $\sqrt{x^2}=3$ (3 here is the unique value give by the square root).

Then $ \sqrt{x^2}= |x|=3$ , which gives you two possible solution. $x=3$ or $x=-3$

The two solution is due to the definition of an absolute value, not by the property of square root function.