A-Level Preparation Simplifying Surds

Answers
Multiplying and Dividing Surds

1. a. 5× 7 d. 18 20 ÷ 6 5 g. (5 3)2

35 3 4 = 3 × 2 = 6 25 × 3 = 75

  

b. 3 2 × 4 5 e. 5 2 × 3 8 h. (2 5)3

12 10 15 16 23 × ( 5)3

 = 15 × 4 = 60 = 8 × 5 5 = 40 5

c. 15 ÷ 3 f. 2 3 × 5

5 10 3

 

2. A right-angled triangle has a height of 6 5cm and a base of 7 3cm. Find its area.

6 5×7 3÷2

= 42 15 ÷ 2

= 21 15cm2

Addition and Subtraction of Surds

1. Simplify these surds (remember: the key is to find a square factor).

a. 20 b. 48 c. 75 d. 5 8

4 5 = 2 5 16 3 = 4 3 25 3 = 5 3 5(2 2) = 10 2

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 A-Level Preparation Simplifying Surds Answers
2. Give your answers in the form a b

a. 2 + 18 c. 4 80 + 3 45

2 + 3 2 = 4 2 4 16 5 + 3 9 5

 = 16 5 + 9 5 = 25 5

b. 50 – 200 d. 2 50 + 5 32

25 2 – 100 2 2 25 2 + 5 16 2

= 5 2 – 10 2 = -5 2  = 10 2 + 20 2 = 30 2

3. A rectangle has a width of 6 75m and a height of 2 12m. What is its perimeter?

75 = 5 3

12 = 2 3

6 75 + 6 75 + 2 12 + 2 12

= 12 75 + 4 12

= 60 3 + 8 3 = 68 3m

Challenge
A right-angled triangle has a base of 2 18cm and a height of 2 32cm. Find the perimeter of the
triangle.

Using Pythagoras to find the hypotenuse:

(2 18)2 + (2 32)2 

= 72 + 128

= 200 cm

Add the three sides:

2 18 + 2 32 + 200

= 6 2 + 8 2 + 10 2 = 24 2cm

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