Operat

ions
on
Radica
Objective:
Performs operations on
radical expressions.
 +
To combine radicals: combine
the coefficients of like radicals
 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.

3 x  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  35 5
4 5  15 5
19 5
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
 3 2 3
3 3
Gizmo:
Operations
with
Radicals
Example: 6  2 6 3 6

63 3 7
Example: 4 7  8 63 4 7  8(3 7 )
4 7  24 7
28 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 is no way to
combine them. 7 answer
Simplify 4The 2 3 is the same as the
problem:
Answer: 4 7 2 3
Example: 2 4 2 x  6 4 2 x 84 2 x

Example: 4 3x  5 10 x 4 3x  5 10 x
3 3 3 3

*Neither radical can be simplified. The expression is already in

simplest form.
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
1 Multiplying Radicals with the Same Index
To multiply radicals with the same index, multiply the radicands and keep
the same index.
 Multiplying Radicals
• To multiply radicals, consider the following:
9  4 3 2 6 3
 8 3 64  2 4  8
and and
9 4  36 6 3
 8 64 3  512  8

Multiplying Radical Expression

n
a n b n ab
1 Multiplying Radicals with the Same Index
To multiply radicals with the same index, multiply the radicands and keep
the same index.
2 Multiplying Radicals with Different Indices
To multiply radicals with different indices, rewrite the radical expressions as
expressions with the same index by rewriting its equivalent rational
exponents, then multiply.
2 Multiplying Radicals with Different Indices
To multiply radicals with different indices, rewrite the radical expressions as
expressions with the same index by rewriting its equivalent rational
exponents, then multiply.
2 Multiplying Radicals with Different Indices
To multiply radicals with different indices, rewrite the radical expressions as
expressions with the same index by rewriting its equivalent rational
exponents, then multiply.
2 Multiplying Radicals with Different Indices
To multiply radicals with different indices, rewrite the radical expressions as
expressions with the same index by rewriting its equivalent rational
exponents, then multiply.
2 Multiplying Radicals with Different Indices
To multiply radicals with different indices, rewrite the radical expressions as
expressions with the same index by rewriting its equivalent rational
exponents, then multiply.
2 Multiplying Radicals with Different Indices
To multiply radicals with different indices, rewrite the radical expressions as
expressions with the same index by rewriting its equivalent rational
exponents, then multiply.
 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
Multiplication property to simplify a radical expression.

Example:
3
3
7 x 7 3 6 x 8  7 6 x 7 x8 3 42x15

3
 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: Multiply 7 x ( x  7 7 )
*Recall that to multiply (a + b)(c – d)
polynomials you need to use =a(c – d) + b(c –
the Distributive Property. d)
=ac – ad + bc -
7x ( x  7 7) bd
 7 x 2  7 49 x
 x 7  7 7 x
 x 7  49 x
 You should recognize these from Topic 1 Notes
1 1 1 1
3 4 7
x x 2 x x 3 x x 4 x x 7
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 x

Putting the above information together, you should see that these
rules can be combined to solve problems such as those below.

1 1 1 1 9
  
1) x 7 x x 2 x 7  x 2 7   x 14

4
5  4 1 11
4   
x x5
2)  1
 x 5 4   x 20
4
x
x4
Example
Conjugates
( 6  2 )( 6  2) Distribute
: (2 ways to do so)

 6( 6  2)  2( 6  2)  6( 6)  6( 2)  2( 6)  2( 2)

 36  12  12  4  36  12  12  4
 36  4  36  4
6  2 6  2
4 4

Notice that just like a difference of two squares, the middle terms cancel out.

We call these conjugate pairs.

The conjugate ofa  b is a  b .

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 the following:
3
16 4 64 4
 2  2
4 2 3
8 2
and and
16 16 3
64 3 64 3
  4 2   8 2
4 4 3
8 8

Dividing Radical Expressions

n
a n a

n
b b
 Dividing Radicals
You can simplify the quotient of two radicals by
writing them as one radical then simplifying.

Example:
90 x18 90 x18
  45x17
2x 2x

 3 3 5 x 8 x 8 x
3 x 8 5x
 Dividing Radicals
Example: 6 x8 y 9 6 x6 y 5 x3 y 2 6 y
 
5x 2 y 4 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 4 2
 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

3
9 3 11 11 3 1089
3 
3
11 11 11 11
 Case III: There are TWO TERMS in the
denominator. We also use conjugate pairs to
rationalize denominators.
3 6 3 6 3 6
  Be sure to enclose
3 6 3 6 3 6
expressions with
9  18  18  36 multiple terms in
 ( ). This will help
9  18  18  36
you to remember
3  2 18  6 to FOIL these

9  36 expressions.
Always reduce the
3  2(3 3 ) root index

3 6 (numbers outside
 3 6 3 radical) to the
  1 2 3 simplest form
3
(lowest) for the
final answer.
Application/Critical Thinking
A. Find a radical expression for the perimeter
and area of a right triangle with side lengths
4 3 , 12, 8 3.

Perimeter … (P = a +
b + c)
4 3  12  8 3 12  12 3

1
Hint: In a right Area  bh 8 3 13.86
triangle, the 2
longest side is This is longer
the hypotenuse A (4 3 )(12) than 12, so 12 is
of the triangle. a leg.
A 48 3
 Application/Critical Thinking
B. The areas of two circles are 15 square cm and 20
square cm. Find the exact ratio of the radius of the
smaller circle to the radius of the larger circle.

Find the radius of each first . . . A = π r2

Smaller Circle Larger 15

Circle 11  15  3  3
15  r 2 20  r 2
15 20 20 4 2
r 20
r 11
11 11
 Practice Problems

 9 9 
3x 3  2 5x  4 4
46 x12  14 x9
Not real
4
3 x  2 3 x 5 x  46 x12 14 x9
4
3 x  2 15 x 2  644 x 21
4
3 x  2 x 15  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

 4 4
16 48 64 128
81 4 3
8 100 27

4 4
16 48 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
   
81 8 4 3
2 2 5 5
4 24 8
 2 4 4 
9  6 4 3
100
24 4 4
100
4 4
100 100
24 400

100
22 5

10
4 5

10
2 5

5
  9  
12 11  12  4 7
3 3
16  8
 5 8

 99  9 12  11 12  12 4 7 3 3 16  8  5 8
   
3 3 3 3  5 8  5 8

 111  20 12 (4  7 )(3  3 )
 (16  8 )( 5  8 )

(3  3 )(3  3 ) ( 5  8 )( 5  8 )
 111  20 4 3

12  4 3  3 7  21  80  16 8  5 8  8
 111  40 3  
93 3  3 3  9 25  5 8  5 8  8
 72  11 8

12  4 3  3 7  21 17

6
 1

w10 t 2 1 m5
3  1
36 125 x3 x 6
m8

 2 1  1 1
     
w5 w5 1 1 1
 x 3 6   x 5 8 
 3    t
6 6 5 5 5 5  8 5 
  
3 40 40
w5 t x 6  x 
 
6 5 6 5 3
 x
 x 40
40 3
 x
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