Radical Expressions

Radical Expressions

1. Simplifying Radicals

   • To simplify a radical expression you have to find two numbers that multiply to equal the square root number. You have to make sure when you find your two factors that go into the square root number that one is a square root.
   • Example: square root of 50. You would us the tree method and that would break into the square root of 2 times the square root of 25. Since you can't do anything with the square root, you then find the square root of 25 which is 5. So it would be plus or minus 5 square root of 2.

2. Adding and Subtracting Radicals

   • With adding and subtracting radicals you have to have the same square root, if not it won't work. When you have a big square root all you do is square it.
   • Example: -9 square root of 15 + 10 square root 15. All you do since your square roots are the same you just add the -9+10 which equals one. In this case you wont have to write the one so it would just be the square root of 15.

3. Multiplying Radicals

   • The process of multiplying a radical varies on the way it is set up. All you do is multiply the outside numbers than you multiply the inside and then find two factor that multiply to be that number and make sure that one number can be squared.
   • Example: 3 square root of 12 times square root of 6. All you do is multiply the outside numbers which is 3 *1 equals 3. Then multiply the one inside which is 12*6 equals 72. After that you find two factors of 7, then square the 36 and get 6 which you multiply by 3 and get 18 square root of 2.