Operat

ions
on
Radica
Module 14 Topic 2

Table of Contents
Slides 3-5: Adding and Subtracting
Slide 5: Simplifying
Slides 7-10: Examples
Slides 11-14: Multiplying
Slides 15-16: Conjugates
Slides 17-19: Dividing
Slides 20-22: Rationalizing the
Denominator
Slides 23-28: Practice Problems
Audio/Video and Interactive Sites
Slide 7: Gizmo
Slide 25: Interactive

Addition and
Subtraction
Adding and Subtracting radicals
is similar to adding and
subtracting polynomials.

Just as you cannot combine 3x and

6y, since they are not like terms, you
cannot combine radicals unless they
are like radicals.

If asked to simplify the expression 2x + 3x, we recognize that

they each share a common variable part x that makes them like
terms, hence we add the coefficients and keep the variable part
the same.

3x 2 x 5 x

Likewise, if asked to simplify radicals. If they have like

radicals then we add or subtract the coefficients and keep the
like radical. Two radical expressions are said to be like radicals
if they have the same index and the same radicand.

2 5 3 5 5 5

If the radicals in your problem are different, be sure to check

to see if the radicals can be simplified. Often times, when
the radicals are simplified, they become the same radical and
can then be added or subtracted. Always simplify first, if
possible.

4 5 3 125
4 5 35 5
4 5 15 5
19 5

Recall:

Simplifying Radicals

Divide the
number under
the radical.
If all numbers
are not prime,
continue
Find
pairs, for
dividing.
a square root,
under the
radical and
Multiply
pull themthe
out.
items you
pulled out by
anything in
front of the
radical sign.
Multiply
anything left
under the
radical .

8 99 x5 y 3 z 2

8 9 11 x x x x x y y y z z
8 3 3 11 x x x x x y y y z z

8 3 3 11 x x x x x y y y z z
3

8 3 x x y z 11xy
It is
done!

24 x 2 yz 11xy

Simplify: 3 12
*These are not like terms, however the 12 can be
simplified.

12 2 2 3 4 3 2 3

Now you can simplify by using like terms.

3 12
32 3
3 3
Gizmo:
Operations
with
Radicals

Example: 6 2 6

Example: 4 7 8 63

3 6

4 7 8(3 7 )
4 7 24 7
28 7

63 3 7

DO NOT ADD THE NUMBERS UNDER THE

RADICAL!
You may not always be able to simplify
radicals.
Since the radicals are not the same, and
both are in their simplest form, there
Simplify
4 7 2 3 them. The answer
is no way
to combine
is the same as the problem:
Answer:
4 7 2 3

Example: 2 4 2 x 6 4 2 x 84 2 x
3
3
3
3
Example: 4 3 x 5 10 x 4 3x 5 10 x

*Neither radical can be simplified.

already in simplest form.

The expression is

Example:A garden has a width of 13 and a length of 7 13.

What is the perimeter of the garden in simplest radical
form?
*(Hint:

P = 2L + 2W)

P 2( 13 ) 2(7 13 )
P 2 13 14 13
P 16 13

Multiplying Radicals
To multiply radicals, consider
3
the
9 4following:
3 2 6
8 3 64 2 4 8
and

and

9 4 36 6

8 64 3 512 8

Multiplying Radical Expression

n

a n b n ab

Multiplying Radicals
You can simplify the product of two
radicals by writing
them as one radical then simplifying.
Here is an example of how you can use
this
3
3
7 6 x 7 x8
7 x 7 3 6 x8
3 42x15
Multiplication property to simplify a
radical expression.
3

Example:

7 2 3 x5 x5 x5

x 5 3 42

3
Example: 15 x y 15 xy

225 x 4 y 2
15 15 x 2 x 2 y 2

15 x 2 y

Example: Multiply7 x ( x 7 7 )
*Recall that to multiply
polynomials you need to
use the Distributive
Property.

7x ( x 7 7)

7 x 2 7 49 x

x 7 77 x

x 7 49 x

(a + b)(c d)
=a(c d) +
b(c d)
=ac ad + bc
- bd

You should recognize these from Topic 1 Notes

1
x2

1
x3

1
x4

1
x7

You should also remember the rules of exponents, when you

multiply terms with the same base, you add exponents.
When you divide, you subtract exponents.
5 7
5 7
12

Ex.

x x x

Putting the above information together, you should see

that these rules can be combined to solve problems such as
those below.

x 7 x

1)
5

2)

4
x5
1
x4

1
x2

1
x7

4 1

5 4

1 1

2 7

11
x 20

9
x 14

Conjugates

Example
:

( 6 2 )( 6 2 )

6( 6 2) 2( 6 2)

36 12 12 4

36 4

Distribute
(2 ways to do
so)
6( 6) 6( 2) 2( 6) 2( 2)

36 12 12 4

36 4

62

62

Notice that just like a difference of two squares, the middle terms
cancel out.
We call these conjugate pairs.

a b is a b
The conjugate of

They are a conjugate pair. When we multiply a conjugate pair, the

radical cancels out and we obtain a rational number.

Simplified Radical Expressions are

recognized by
No radicands have perfect square
factors other than 1.
No radicands contain fractions.
No radicals appear in the denominator
of a fraction.

Dividing Radicals
To divide radicals, consider
3
16
4
64 4
the following:
2
2
4

2
and

16
16

42
4
4

2
and

64 3 64 3

82
3
8
8

Dividing Radical
n
Expressions
a
a
n

Dividing Radicals
You can simplify the quotient of
two radicals by
writing them as one radical then
simplifying.
90 x18
17
90 x18
2x

Example:

2x

45x

3 3 5 x8 x8 x
3 x 8 5x

Dividing Radicals
Example:6 x 8 y 9
5x2 y 4

6x6 y5 x3 y 2 6 y

5
5

Notice that after simplifying the

radical, we still have a square root in
the denominator.
We have to find a way to get rid of the
radical.
This is called rationalizing the
denominator.

Rationalizing the Denominator.

Case I: There is ONE TERM in the
denominator and it is a SQUARE ROOT.
When the denominator is a monomial (one
term), multiply both the numerator and the
denominator by whatever makes the denominator
an expression that can be simplified so that
it no longer contains a radical. In this
case it happens to be exactly the same as the
denominator.
7

2
7
2
14
14

2
2
2
4

 Case II: There is ONE TERM in the

denominator, however, THE INDEX IS
GREATER THAN TWO.

Sometimes you need to multiply by whatever

makes the denominator a perfect cube or any
other power greater than 2 that can be
simplified.
3

9
3
11

9 3 11 11 3 1089
3

3
11
11 11 11
3

 Case III: There are TWO TERMS in

the denominator. We also use conjugate
pairs to rationalize denominators.
3 6
3 6

3 6
3 6

3 6
3 6

9 18 18 36

9 18 18 36
3 2 18 6

9 36
3 2(3 3 )
36
36 3

1 2 3
3

Be sure to
enclose
expressions with
multiple terms
in ( ). This
will help you to
remember to FOIL
these
expressions.
Always reduce
the root index
(numbers outside
radical) to the
simplest form

Application/Critical
A. Find a Thinking
radical expression

for the perimeter and area of a

4right
3 , 12, 8 3.triangle with side
lengthsPerimeter (P = a
+ b + c)

4 3 12 8 3 12 12 3

Hint: In a
right
triangle, the
longest side
is the
hypotenuse of
the triangle.

1
Area bh
2

A (4 3 )(12)
A 48 3

8 3 13.86
This is longer
than 12, so 12
is a leg.

Application/Critical
Thinking
The areas
of two circles are

B.
15 square cm and 20 square cm.
Find the exact ratio of the
radius of the smaller circle to
theFind
radius
the
larger
the radiusof
of each
first
. . . A = r2
circle.
Smaller
Circle

15 r 2
r

15
11

Larger
Circle

20 r 2
20
r
11

15
11 15 3 3
20
4
2
20
11

Practice Problems
9 9
Not real

3x 3 2 5x

3 x 2 3x 5 x
3 x 2 15 x
3 x 2 x 15

46 x12 14 x9

46 x12 14 x9
4

644 x 21
4

4 161 x16 x5
4

2 2 7 23 x 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 x5
4

x 4 644 x5

Practice Problems and Answers

16
81

16
81

48

48
8

64

128

100

27

222222
4

2255

2 4
4

100

24 4
4

100

24 400

100

22 5
10

4 5
10

2 5
5

100
100

2222222
3

24 8

 9 12 11 12

4 7
3 3

99 9 12 11 12 12

111 20 12

4 7
3 3

3 3
3 3

(4 7 )(3 3 )
(3 3 )(3 3 )

111 20 4 3
111 40 3

16 8

12 4 3 3 7 21

93 3 3 3 9
12 4 3 3 7 21
6

5 8
16 8

5 8

5 8
5 8

(16 8 )(5 8 )
(5 8 )(5 8 )

80 16 8 5 8 8
25 5 8 5 8 8
72 11 8
17

w10
36

w5 w5
66

w5

125

1 1 1
t
5 5 5
3

2
x3

1
x6

2 1

3 6

5
x6

1
m5
1
m8

x
x

1 1

5 8
8 5

40
40

3
x 40
40 3