Use and manipulation of

surds
Facts to remember

 Surd: any number that contains a square root

Rules to remember :
sign.
𝒙 × 𝒙 =𝒙
 Entire surd: the entire number is under the
𝒙× 𝒚 = 𝒙𝒚
square root sign e.g. 4
 Mixed surd: also contains a rational number 𝒙 2 = 𝒙

e.g. 2 3
𝒙 𝒙
=
 Simplest form of a surd: when the number 𝒚 𝒚
under the square root sign has no perfect
𝒙 − 𝒚 𝒙 + 𝒚 = 𝒙𝟐 − 𝒚
square as a factor (i.e. whole number) eg. 3 2
𝒙± 𝒚 𝒙∓ 𝒚 =𝒙−𝒚
is the simplest form of 18
 It helps to treat surds like algebra and treat each surd like a different algebraic term.
 Unless the square root works out to be a whole number LEAVE IT IN SURD FORM!

I. Adding and subtracting surds:

Treat surds like algebra and treat each surd like a different algebraic term.

For example:

3 5 + 6 2 − 7 2 =3 5 − 2 is the same as 3𝑥 + 6𝑦 − 7𝑦 = 3𝑥 − 𝑦

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II. Multiplying surds

Rules: 𝑥 × 𝑥 = 𝑥 or 𝑥 × 𝑦 = 𝑥𝑦 or 𝑥 2 = 𝑥

You may need to combine two entire surds into 4 × 16 = 64

one.
You may need to combine two mixed surds into 2 3 × 2 5
one. For this you multiple the coefficients and =2 ×2 × 3 × 5
the surds separately. =4 × 3x5
= 4 15
When multiplying surds the numbers can be placed under the one square root sign.

III. Dividing surds

𝑥 𝑥
Rule: =
𝑦 𝑦

𝟏𝟔 𝟏𝟔
How do we get this? Take this example: =
𝟒 𝟒

𝟏𝟔 4 𝟏𝟔
The link between both sides proves the rule: = = 𝟐= 4 =
𝟒 2 𝟒

You may need to combine two entire surds into 16 16

= = 4
4 4
one.
You may need to combine two mixed surds into 10 8 10 8
= × = 2 2
5 4 5 4
one. For this you divide the rational numbers by
each other, divide the surds by each other and
then multiply the final rational number by the
final surd.

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You may need to work backwards. 9 9 3
= =
16 16 4

IV. Squaring surds

Rule: 𝒙 2 = 𝒙

If you square something you have just square rooted you are going to end up with what you
started with! For example: 3 2 = 3

V. Simplifying surds

Simply individual surds where possible (break down a surd with a large number into a smaller surd).

To do this find two numbers that are products of the number in the surd. Our aim is to leave the
smallest possible number inside the square root. We can do this using 2 different methods:

1) look for the largest square factor of the number under the square root
e.g. 50 = 25 × 2 = 25 × 2 = 5 2 (25 is the highest prime factor of 50)

2) write the number under the square root as a product of its prime factors (every number has a
unique set of prime numbers e.g. 50 = 2 x 25 = 2 x 5 x 5)
e.g. 50 = 2 × 25 = 2 × 5 × 5 = 2 × 5× 5=5 2

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VI. Expanding and simplifying brackets
containing surds

Use the FOIL method, for example: 𝟐−𝟑 𝟑+𝟒

First : 𝟐−𝟑 𝟐+𝟒 = 𝟐 𝟐

Outside : 𝟐−𝟑 𝟐 + 𝟒 = 𝟐 𝟐+𝟒 𝟐

Inside : 𝟐−𝟑 𝟐 + 𝟒 = 𝟐 𝟐+𝟒 𝟐 − 𝟑 𝟐

Last : 𝟐−𝟑 𝟐 + 𝟒 = 𝟐 𝟐+𝟒 𝟐 − 𝟑 𝟐 − 𝟏𝟐

Now tidy it up: 𝟐 + 𝟐 − 𝟏𝟐 = 𝟐 − 𝟏𝟎

N.B. sometimes, when there are different surds in the brackets we are better leaving the answer in

brackets as we can’t simplify the expression. For example 2−3 3 + 4 is neater than

6 + 4 2 − 3 3 − 12.

VII. Rationalising the denominator

Rules: 𝒙 × 𝒙 = 𝒙 and 𝒙 − 𝒚 𝒙 + 𝒚 = 𝒙𝟐 − 𝒚 and 𝒙± 𝒚 𝒙 ∓ 𝒚 = 𝒙 − 𝒚.

Rationalising means ‘moving’ any surd from the denominator of a fraction to the numerator. 𝑥 + y

and 𝑥 − y are called a pair of conjugates. The product of any pair of conjugates is always a rational
number.

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If the denominator is just a surd: multiply the 10 5 10 5
5
× 5
= 5
=2 5
numerator and denominator by that surd.
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For example: 5 would be multiplied by 5
If the denominator is a surd with a coefficient: 10 5 10 5 10 5 2 5
× = =
multiply the numerator and denominator by the 3 5 5 3×5 15 3

surd only.
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For example: 3 5 would be multiplied by 5 (not
3 5).
If the denominator is in the form of ± 𝑦 : 4 3− 5 4(3− 5) 12−4 5) 12−4 5
3+ 5
× 3− 5 = (3+ 5)(3− 5) = 𝟑𝟐 −𝟓
= 9−𝟓
=
multiply numerator and denominator by the 12−4 5
conjugate expression, 𝑥 ∓ 𝑦. Remember that 4
=3− 5
𝒙 − 𝒚 𝒙 + 𝒚 = 𝒙𝟐 − 𝒚.
If the denominator contains different surds (e.g. 1 5− 3 1 5− 3
5+ 3
× 5− 3
= 5+ 3 5− 3
𝑥 + 𝑦 ): multiply the numerator and
denominator by the same expression but with
5− 3 5− 3 5− 3
the opposite sign (i.e. 𝑥 − 𝑦 ). For this we = 𝟐 = 𝟓−𝟑
= 𝟐
5 −𝟑
need to remember that 𝑥 ± 𝑦 𝑥∓
𝑦=𝑥−𝑦.
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When dealing with surds in multiple fractions we Look at first. 2 2 2 2
rationalise each denominator containing a surd 3 × =
3 3 3
separately. For example: 4 4 3− 2
2 4 Now look at 3+ 2 ×
+ 3+ 2 3− 2
3 3+ 2
4(3− 2)
=
(3− 2)(3− 2)
12 − 4 2)
=
9−2
12 − 4 2)
=
7

Now the question is 2 2 12 − 4 2)

2 2 12−4 2) +
+ 3 7
3 7

The next step is to 14 2 36 − 12 2)

= +
make the 21 21
denominators the
same and write the 14 2 + 36 − 12 2)
=
nominators over the 21
same denominator.
Simplify and if 2 2 + 36
=
needed write over 21
two separate
fractions. 2 2 36
= +
21 21

2 2 12
= +
21 7

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 QCM
1. Simplify 63 as far as possible.
a) 7 5

b) 6 3

c) 7 6

d) 3 7

2. Simplify 150 as far as possible.

a) 5 2

b) 10 3

c) 5 6

d) 3 5

3. Expand and simplify 2(3 2 + 4 8):

a) 14 2

b) 6 2 + 8 8

c) 2 2

d) 22 2

4. Expand and simplify 2( 8 − 2 3):

a) 4 − 2 6

b) 6 2 − 4

c) 5 2

d) 16

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5. Rationalise 2

5 2
a) 2

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 b) 10 2

2 5
c) 5

d) 5 2

2−3 2
6. Rationalise 3 2+ 5

a) 9 + 6 5

9−5 10
b) 2

21−10 10
c) 13

d) 5 10

7. Write 20 in the form of 𝑥 5 where 𝑥 is a positive constant.

a) 4 5

b) 2 5
c) 5
d) 5 5

8. A rectangle R has a length of (2 + 5 )cm and an area of 20 cm2. Calculate the

width of R in cm, leave in surd form.
2 5
a) 5

b) 2 10

c) 4 20
d) 10 − 4 5

9. Write 48 − 27 in the form 𝑥 𝑦 where 𝑥 and 𝑦 are integers:

a) 𝑥 = 2, 𝑦 = 2

b) 𝑥 = 1, 𝑦 = 3

c) 𝑥 = 2, 𝑦 = 3

d) 𝑥 = 3, 𝑦 = 2

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 (4 8)(3 54)
10. Simplify this expression 2 3

a)36 2

b) 3 + 2 2

c) 72

2 2
d) 3

Answers:

1)d 2) c 3)d 4)a 5)a 6)c 7)b 8)d 9)b 10)c