Simplifying Radicals

Perfect Squares
1 4 64 81 100 121 144 169 196 225 256 289 324

9 16 25 36 49

400
625

=2
=4 =5 = 10

16
25

100

144

= 12

Perfect Square Factor * Other Factor

8
LEAVE IN RADICAL FORM

4*2
4*5

20
32

= =
= =

2 5

16 * 2 = 25 * 3 =

75

5 3

40

4 *10 = 2 10

Perfect Square Factor * Other Factor

48
LEAVE IN RADICAL FORM

16 * 3 = 16 * 5 =

4 3 4 5

80
50

= =
= =

25 * 2 = 25 25 * 5 =

125

5 5

450

225 * 2 = 15

+
To combine radicals: combine the coefficients of like radicals

Simplify each expression

6 7 5 7 3 7

8 7
3 6 7 7

5 6 3 7 4 7 2 6

Simplify each expression: Simplify each radical first and then combine.

2 50 3 32 2 25 * 2 3 16 * 2

2 *5 2 3* 4 2 10 2 12 2 2 2

Simplify each expression: Simplify each radical first and then combine.

3 27 5 48 3 9 * 3 5 16 * 3

3*3 3 5* 4 3 9 2 20 2 29 2

Perfect Square Factor * Other Factor

18
LEAVE IN RADICAL FORM

288
75

= =
= =

= =
= =

24

72

Simplify each expression

6 5 5 6 3 6
3 24 7 54

2 8 7 32

Simplify each expression

6 5 5 20
18 7 32

2 28 7 6 63

*
To multiply radicals: multiply the coefficients and then multiply the radicands and then simplify the remaining radicals.

Multiply and then simplify

5 * 35 175 25 * 7 5 7
2 8 * 3 7 6 56 6 4 *14
6 * 2 14 12 14

2 5 * 4 20 20 100 20*10 200

 5
2

5* 5 7* 7

25

7
2

49 7 64

8
2

8* 8
x* x

8
x

x
2

x
2

To divide radicals: divide the coefficients, divide the radicands if possible, and rationalize the denominator so that no radical remains in the denominator

56 7

4*2

2 2

This cannot be divided which leaves the radical in the denominator. We do not leave radicals in the denominator. So we need to rationalize by multiplying the fraction by something so we can eliminate the radical in the denominator.

6 7

6 * 7 42 49

7 7
42 7

42 cannot be simplified, so we are finished.

This can be divided which leaves the radical in the denominator. We do not leave radicals in the denominator. So we need to rationalize by multiplying the fraction by something so we can eliminate the radical in the denominator.

5 10

1 * 2
2 10

2 2

This cannot be divided which leaves the radical in the denominator. We do not leave radicals in the denominator. So we need to rationalize by multiplying the fraction by something so we can eliminate the radical in the denominator.

3 12

3 * 12

3 3

3 3 36

Reduce the fraction.

3 3 6

3 6

=X
= Y3

Y
4

P X Y

= P2X3Y = 2X2Y 5C4D10

4X Y
8

25C D

10 =

*X

= =

Y
Y
2

Y
Y

PX Y

X Y

* PXY

= XY

PXY

12 X Y
8

= =

Y Y

25C D