Chapter 2

Lesson 2: SIMPLIFYING ROOTS OF

A NUMBER
 The Multiplication Property of Radicals
If and represents nonnegative real numbers, then

Thus, the square root of the product of two nonnegative

numbers is equal to the product of their square roots.
Example 1:
Simplify.
Solution:
The greatest perfect square factor that divides 4 000 exactly is 400. Let’s
factor 4 000 as 400 (10) and apply the multiplication property of radicals.

Using the product property

since
Simplify.
a.
b.
c.
SIMPLIFIED FORM OF A RADICAL
A square root radical is in simplified form when each of the
following statements is true.
1. The radicand has no perfect square factors except for 1.
2. No fraction appears in a radicand.
3. No radical appears in the denominator of a factor.
Example 2: Simplify.
a.
b.
Solution:
a. The greatest perfect square that divides 32 is 16.

b.
By the multiplication property
Since
Multiply -5 and 3.
Simplify.
a.
b.
Simplifying radicals means removing any perfect roots that occur as factors from the
radicals. Let us now apply the properties in simplifying radicals.

Example 3:
Solution:
Simplify.
The radicals are all perfect roots. Examples (a) and (b) are perfect
a. squares while Example (c) is a perfect cube.
b. a. since and

c. b. ( note that
c. ( note that

Notice that we divide each exponent of the radicand by the

index.
Simplify.
a.
b.
Think About This:

When do we say that a radicand is a perfect root? Is a

perfect root? Is a perfect root? Explain.
Let us now try to simplify radicals whose radicands are not perfect
roots.
Example 4:
Simplify by removing the perfect power.
a.
b.
c.
Simplify.
a.
b.
c.
Common Error
The multiplication property applies to the square root of the product of two numbers
but not to sums of differences.
Incorrect Correct

 
Consider these examples.
and
In each case the answer is 2, hence we say that
We have just illustrated the division property of radicals.
THE DIVISION PROPERTY OF RADICALS
If and represent real numbers, with and .
Thus, the square root of the quotient of two numbers is
the quotient of their square roots.
 Solution:
Example 5: a. By the division property
Simplify. By the multiplication property

a. Since

b.

b. By the division property

By the multiplication property
Since and
Cancel x in the radicand
Simplify.
a.
b.
RATIONALIZING RADICAL EXPRESSIONS
A radical expression is not considered to be in simplest form when its
denominator contains a radical. The process of rewriting the quotient so
that the denominator contains no roots is called rationalizing the
denominator.
To rationalize the denominator, we multiply the denominator by an
appropriate expression such that the product will be a perfect root.
Example 6: Solution:
Rationalize the a. Multiply by since
denominator.
a.
The quotient has been rationalized
b.
c.

b. since
c.
The square of is

Multiply 2x and 3
Remove common factor of 4 and 6
The End
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