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- Elementary algebra
- Roots, radicals, and square root
- Simplifying square root expressions
To simplify a square root expression that does not involve a fraction, we can use the following two rules:
Simplifying square roots without fractions
- If a factor of the radicand contains a variable with an
even exponent, the square root is obtained by dividing the exponent by 2.
- If a factor of the radicand contains a variable with an
odd exponent, the square root is obtained by first factoring the variable factor into two factors so that one has an even exponent and the other has an exponent of 1, then using the product property of square roots.
Sample set a
Simplify each square root.
Both exponents are even:
and
The exponent on the square root of
is 3. The exponent on the square root if
is 5.
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Practice set a
Simplify each square root.
Square roots involving fractions
A square root expression is in simplified form if there are
- no perfect squares in the radicand,
- no fractions in the radicand, or
- 3. no square root expressions in the denominator.
The square root expressions
and
are in simplified form.
The square root expressions
and
are
not in simplified form.
Simplifying square roots with fractions
To simplify the square root expression
- Write the expression as
using the rule
- Multiply the fraction by 1 in the form of
- Simplify the remaining fraction,
Rationalizing the denominator
The process involved in step 2 is called
rationalizing the denominator. This process removes square root expressions from the denominator using the fact that
Sample set b
Simplify each square root.
Practice set b
Simplify each square root.
Exercises
For the following problems, simplify each of the radical expressions.
Exercises for review
Questions & Answers
(Pcos∅+qsin∅)/(pcos∅-psin∅)
how to answer the activity
how to solve the activity
Chabelita
solve for X,,4^X-6(2^)-16=0
sobhan Singh jina uniwarcity tignomatry ka long answers tile questions
t he silly nut company makes two mixtures of nuts: mixture a and mixture b. a pound of mixture a contains 12 oz of peanuts, 3 oz of almonds and 1 oz of cashews and sells for $4. a pound of mixture b contains 12 oz of peanuts, 2 oz of almonds and 2 oz of cashews and sells for $5. the company has 1080
If
, ,
are the roots of the equation
3 2 0,
x px qx r
Find the value of
1
.
Parts of a pole were painted red, blue and yellow. 3/5 of the pole was red and 7/8 was painted blue. What part was painted yellow?
Parts of the pole was painted red, blue and yellow. 3 /5 of the pole was red and 7 /8 was painted blue. What part was painted yellow?
Patrick
how I can simplify algebraic expressions
Lairene and Mae are joking that their combined ages equal Sam’s age. If Lairene is twice Mae’s age and Sam is 69 yrs old, what are Lairene’s and Mae’s ages?
lairenea's age is 23yrs
ACKA
Laurene is 46 yrs and Mae is 23 is
Solomon
age does not matter
christopher
solve for X, 4^x-6(2*)-16=0
Alieu
prove`x^3-3x-2cosA=0
(-π<A<=π
create a lesson plan about this lesson
Excusme but what are you wrot?
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Source:
OpenStax, Elementary algebra. OpenStax CNX. May 08, 2009 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col10614/1.3
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