Intermediate Algebra Tutorial 40


Intermediate Algebra
Answer/Discussion to Practice Problems
Tutorial 40: Adding, Subtracting and Multiplying
Radical Expressions

WTAMU > Virtual Math Lab > Intermediate Algebra > Tutorial 40: Adding, Subtracting and Multiplying Radical Expressions


 

checkAnswer/Discussion to 1a

problem 1a
 

Step 1: Simplify the radicals.

 
The first radical is already in simplest form.

 
The 63 in the second radical has a factor that we can take the square root of. 

Can you think of what that factor is?

Let's see what we get when we simplify the second radical:
 

ad1a1
*Rewrite 63a as (9)(7a)
*Use Prod. Rule of Radicals
*Square root of 9 is 3

 
Step 2: Combine like radicals.

 
ad1a2
*Combine like radicals

 
(return to problem 1a)

 


 

checkAnswer/Discussion to 1b

problem 1b
 

Step 1: Simplify the radicals.

 
We can take the cube root of the 27 in the first radical:

 
adb1

*Use Prod. Rule of Radicals

*Cube root of 27 is 3
 

The second radical is already in simplest form.

 
Step 2: Combine like radicals.

 
ad1b2
*Combine like radicals

 
(return to problem 1b)


 

checkAnswer/Discussion to 2a

problem 2a
 

Step 1: Multiply the radical expression

AND

Step 2: Simplify the radicals.
 

We can apply the FOIL method found in Tutorial 26 (Multiplying Polynomials) to this example:

 
ad2a2
*Use Prod. Rule of Radicals

 
 

(return to problem 2a)

 


 

checkAnswer/Discussion to 2b

problem 2b
 

Step 1: Multiply the radical expression

AND

Step 2: Simplify the radicals.
  

Using distributive property twice we get:

 
ad2b

*Use Prod. Rule of Radicals

 
 

(return to problem 2b)

 

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WTAMU > Virtual Math Lab >Intermediate Algebra >Tutorial 40: Adding, Subtracting and Multiplying Radical Expressions


Last revised on July 21, 2011 by Kim Seward.
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