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Simplifying expressions involving

roots
3
2,2  3,2 5, are irrational numbers that involve square roots. They are called surds.
3

In calculations, you can use approximate decimals for these types of irrational number, but for
more accurate results you can use surds.

Surds are written in their simplest form when:

 there is no surd in the denominator

 the smallest possible whole number is under the √ sign.

If a question asks for an exact value, it means leave your answer in surd form.

Rules of surds

a a
( a)2  a a b  a b 
b b

Example 1
Simplify

4 3
a b
5 3
Answer

4 4 5
a   multiply top and bottom by the same quantity
5 5 5

4 5

( 5)2

4 5

5

3 3 3
b   multiply top and bottom by the same quantity
3 3 3

3 3

( 3)2

3 3
 simplify
3

 3

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Example 2

a 20 b 8  18
Answer

a 20  4  5  2 5 use a b  a b

b 8  18  4  2  9  2 look for square numbers that divide into 8 and 18

 2 3 3 2 use these to write 8 and 18 as products

 2 use a b  a b

Example 3

Expand the brackets and simplify (1  2)(1  2)

Answer

(1  2)(1  2)  1  2  2  ( 2)2 use (a+b)(c+d)=ac+ad+bc+bd

12
 1

Example 4
1
Rewrite the fraction without surds in the denominator.
(1  3)

Answer

1 1 (1  3)
  multiply top and bottom by 1- 3
(1  3) (1  3) (1  3)

1 3 1 3
 
13 2

Exercise

1 Simplify

1 6 5 10 2 2
a b c d e
2 3 5 5 5

2 Simplify

a 2 12 b 75 c 72 d 3 8 e 5 27

3 Simplify

a 3  12 b 3  27 c 24  32 d 2 3 3 2 e 3 5  5 75

4 Simplify

a 3 5 2 5 b 5 2 3 2 c 2 3  12 d 2 8 e 12  2 3

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5 Expand and simplify

a (3  2)2 b ( 2  3)2 c (3  2)(1  2) d (2  2)(2  2)

e (4  3)(1  2)

6 Simplify

1 3 1 5 4 2
a b c d
7 12 3 1 5 32 2

7 Write these without a surd on the denominator. Simplify as much as possible.

2 3 5 2
a 3 3 b  c 20 
3 2 3 5

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Answers

2 10
1 a b 2 3 c 5 d 2 10 e
2 5

2 a 4 3 b 5 3 c 6 2 d 6 2 e 15 3

3 a 6 b 9 c 16 3 d 6 6 e 75 15

4 a 5 5 b 2 2 c 4 3 d  2 e 0

5 a 11  6 2 b 52 6 c 12 2 d 2 e 4 34 2  6

21  7 (1  2 3) 5 5
6 a b  c d 16  11 2
7 11 4

11 3 13 3 12 5
7 a b c
3 6 5

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