Simplifying Radicals

A square root (also known as a radical or surd) of a positive number ! is a number which, when multiplied by itself,
gives the original number !. Any positive number has two square roots: one positive and one negative.

The principal square root of a positive number ! is the positive square root of !, and is written as √! .

In general, ‘the square root’ means the positive square root. For example, √25 = 5, but the square root of 25 can also
be –5. This is normally written down as −√25 = −5.
!
A rational number is a number that can be written as a fraction " where ', ) ∈ ℤ and ) ≠ 0. For example:
! # % !"
, , , 4, − #! , 1.2, −0. 3), and 0 are all rational numbers.
" $ #

An irrational number is a number that cannot be written as a fraction. Irrational numbers cannot be represented as
terminating or repeating decimals. √2 and / are examples of irrational numbers.

Here are some important facts about square roots:

• The square roots of positive square numbers are rational numbers because their values are whole numbers.
√4 = 2, √25 = 5, √100 = 10, and √2025 = 45 are rational numbers.
• The square roots of positive non-square numbers are irrational. The numbers √2, √24, √247 and √1000 are
irrational because their values cannot be written as a fraction. A radical (or a surd) is another word for the
square root of a number that has an irrational value.
• Some irrational numbers (such as /, for example) cannot be written as a square root, yet they are still
irrational numbers.

TIP: The terms ‘radical’ and ‘surd’ are both used to refer to an irrational square root. You may see either word (or
both) used in mathematics books.

HISTORICAL FACT:
• Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi (c. 780-c. 850 AD) referred to rational numbers as audible, and irrational
numbers as inaudible. This later led to the Arabic word, ‘asamm’ (meaning ‘deaf’ or ‘dumb’) for irrational
number, which was then translated into Latin as ‘surdus’.

Exploration 1
In this exploration, you will estimate a square root without using a calculator. For the purpose of this exploration, you
can ignore negative square roots.

1. Complete the table with the values of just the rational square roots.

√1 = √2 = √3 = √4 =
I 2

√5 = √6 = √7 = √8 =

√9 = √10 = √11 = √12 =

3
√13 = √14 = √15 = √16 =
4
2. Look at the square roots that are still blank. √2 and √3 are in between √1 and √4, so they are both between
1 and 2. Assuming that they are evenly spaced between 1 and 2, estimate the values of √2 and √3.

TES
ESTIMA

I l's 13 2
Feel re 4g re 1 3 1.3
L l l l l 7
ri R2 B Fl iz 25g II 6 Eel 6 49
 3. Square your estimated values from step 2 above using a calculator. Comment on the accuracy of your
estimates. Can you find a better estimate to 1 decimal place?

ESTIMATES
FL 1.35 1.69 ACTUAL FL I 1.4142 4dp
BETTERESTIMATE1.4
53 i6
2
s 2.56 55 1.7321 4dip
BEITERESTIMATE 17
4. Repeat for the square roots that are between 2 and 3, and.
hhT_a
Between 3 and 4. Assume that all square roots in
pBBb
between pairs of consecutive whole numbers are evenly spaced, and estimate the value of each one.

z 2 3 55 I 2.2 TF 2.6
z 2 2
L I i 7 I 1 I
F rs ro Ft 5859 To 2.4 58 2.8
5. Square your estimated values using a calculator. Comment on the accuracy of your estimates. Does
assuming that the square roots are evenly spaced give you more accurate estimates for small square roots or
large square roots?

Fs 2.25 4.84 57 2.65 6.76

ACTUAL 2.2361 4dup ACTUAL 2.6458 4dup
To 2.45 5.76 58 2.85 7.84
ACTUAL 2.4495 4d ACTUAL 2.8284 4dup
p a method for estimating any square root.
6. Using similar reasoning, suggest

ESTIMATETHESQUARERoot to its NEARESTTENTH ForEXAMPLE 54 56459 SUBTRACTTHESQUARE

RootOFTHELOWERNUMBER TF FROMTHESQUARERootYouAreEstimating TG G 4 2 Now
LOWERNUMBER F FROMTHEHIGHERNUMBER Ta
SUBTRACTTHE
9 4 5 From THESETwoRESULTS WE
GET s 0.4 RoundToTHE NEARESTTENTH IFNECESSARY THEN
ADD YourESTIMATED WHOLENUMBER 54 2
WITHTHE DECIMAL 0.4 GIVINGYou 2.4 ACTUAL 4d Jfs 2.4495 p
Exploration 2
Consider the following list of numbers:

4 3 5
3 √5 1 √4 2 √3
3 4 2

7. Without using a calculator, order the numbers from smallest to largest.

3 I 45
4
Fs Fl AND Z TE Ez 3
8. Use a calculator to verify your answer to Question 1. above.

9. Suggest a strategy that does not involve using a calculator to compare:

a. A fraction to a whole number

CONVERTTHE FRACTIONTO A DECIMAL BY DIVISION THENCOMPARE

b. A radical to a whole number

SQUARE BOTH SIDESANDCOMPARE

c. A radical to a fraction

SQUARE BOTH SIDES THENREWRITETHESQUARED FRACTIONTo A

DECIMAL AND AMPARE 50
 10. Without using a calculator, use your strategies to compare the following pairs of numbers. Compare the
following by inserting <, > or =.

s s

7 7
Exploration 3
You are going to explore the three basic rules of radicals.

Rule 1
11. Evaluate these amounts.
a. √16 × √16 b. √4 × √4 c. √12 × √12

16 16 144
# # #
d. 8√369 e. 8√209 f. 8√10019

36 20 1001
12. Deduce a general rule from what you found in step 1 above.

IF a IS A REALNUMBER THEN Va s a

Rule 2
13. Use a calculator to evaluate these amounts.

a. √4 × 9 b. √4 × √9 c. √5 × 6

6 6 to
d. √5 × √6 e. √22 × 38 f. √22 × √38

530 25209 25209

14. Deduce a general rule from what you found in step 3 above.

IF Va AND Vb AREREAL NUMBERS THEN Va Vb s Tak

Rule 3
15. Use a calculator to evaluate these radical expressions.

a. :%
$
z b.
√$
√% Z c. :'
#
56
3 3

d.
√#
65 e. : %
#(
257 f.
√#(
257
I
√' √%
3 3

16. Deduce a general rule from what you found in step 5 above.

51
IF Va AND Vb AREREAL NUMBERS THEN
pay
 17. [Non-calculator] Simplify the following expressions.
a. √24 b. √72 c. 3√50 d.
√)**
+*

54.56 536 F 3 525.52

Too.rs
256 652 3 5 FL To
1552 10.5
0

5
18. [Non-calculator] Simplify the following expressions.
$,√+# )-√$* -(()±1(-()! -$(+)(+$)
a. #
b. c.
+* #(+)

4 5 4I
54.532 10 gtf
z
4 21
5 zero
2 5 strife
2
4
2
253
z
To 81252
21 53 s's If z
125 2

41st

19. [Non-calculator] Simplify the following expressions.

-(-+$)±1(-+$)! -$(+)(+%) -+*±√+**-)# # #
a. b. c. 8√! + 69 + 82√! − 39
#(+) #

141550 101548L Krxt6 rxtD t 25 3 25 3

2 2

s 141
54.530 s 56523
10
Z
x 651 65 36 t 4 65 65 9
Z
101453 Xt 125 136 1 4 125 19
1412530 s
s z
2 5 1 45
14 112 45
2
212231
51235
71530

20. *[Non-calculator] Find the value(s) of ! which satisfies 5! + 3√! − 2 = 0.

METHOD I METHOD Z
FACTOR REMOVESQUAREROOTS THEN SOLVE
5 1 35 2 0
5 35 2 0
55 2 1 17 0
OR Txt 150
stag.SE
zoYn.YiiesyovC3rxT 2
INTRODUCEEXTRANEON
5x
i5TX 250 solutions 9 54 20 25 2

TEIGE Tx Dt 2
0 25 29 4
VERIFY SOLUTION IN
MUSTVERIFY SOLUTION MUST
ORIGINALEQUATUN 0 25 4 X l
IN ORIGINALEQUATION
X 4 X I X OR Xsl 52
25 X ISANEXTRANEOUS SOLUTION