When simplifying square roots, keep the Product of Square Roots Theorem

in mind.  It is outlined below:

If m and n are not negative and are real numbers, then SQRT(m) * SQRT(n)
= SQRT(mn).

1. Simplify: SQRT(50)

Solution: Write 50 as a product of prime factors.

SQRT(5 * 5 * 2)

Use the Product of Square Roots

Theorem to write the square root of
above as a product of square roots.

SQRT(5) * SQRT(5) * SQRT(2)

By the definition of square roots,

SQRT(5) * SQRT(5) = 5, so
you now have 5(SQRT(2)). That
is the answer!

2. Simplify: SQRT(147)

Solution: Write 147 as a product of prime factors.

SQRT(3 * 7 * 7)

Use the Product of Square Roots

Theorem to rewrite the root shown
above.

SQRT(3) * SQRT(7) * SQRT(7)

Use the definition of square roots to

simplify even further. The answer is
 7(SQRT(3)).

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Adding and subtracting square roots is just like combining like terms when
you need to do that with algebraic expressions.  If the indeces (a square
root's index is 2, a cube root's index is 3, a 4th root's index is 4, etc.) or the
radicands (the expression under the root sign or enclosed by parentheses
after SQRT) are the same, you have a like term on your hands.

1. Add: (4 * SQRT(2)) - (5 * SQRT(2)) + (12 * SQRT(2))

Solution: Combine like terms by adding the numerical

coefficients.

(4 - 5 + 12) * SQRT(2)

After the addition, you get the answer!

11 * SQRT(2)

Many times, such problems will not be given to you with all the terms alike,
or even trickier, the terms will only look different!

1. Simplify: SQRT(18) + SQRT(8)

Solution: Write each square root as a

product of prime factors.

SQRT(2 * 3 * 3) + SQRT(2 * 2 * 2)

Use the Product of Square Roots

Theorem to rewrite each square
root above.

SQRT(2) * SQRT(3) * SQRT(3) +

SQRT(2) * SQRT(2) * SQRT(2)
 Use the definition of square roots
to simplify even further.

(3(SQRT(2))) + (2(SQRT(2)))

Add like terms to get an answer.

5(SQRT(2))

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Instead of using the Product of Square Roots Theorem to separate a root,

we can use it in reverse to multiply radicals, as the following example
shows:  SQRT(2) * SQRT(3) = SQRT(6)

1. Simplify: 4(SQRT(3)) * 3(SQRT(2))

Solution: As with anything else, changing the

order of the factors does not change
the problem, so we will rearrange
the factors so the problem will be a
little easier to compute.

4 * 3 * SQRT(3) * SQRT(2)

Multiply all the factors together

to get the answer.
12(SQRT(6))