Operations with Radicals

Multiplying Radicals
•

•
 +
To combine radicals: combine
the coefficients of like radicals
 Simplify each expression

6 7 5 7 3 7  8 7

5 6 3 7 4 7 2 6  3 6 7 7
Simplify each expression: Simplify each radical first and then
combine.

2 50  3 32  2 25 * 2  3 16 * 2 
2 *5 2  3* 4 2 
10 2  12 2 
2 2
Simplify each expression: Simplify each radical first and then
combine.

3 27  5 48  3 9 * 3  5 16 * 3 
3* 3 3  5* 4 3 
9 3  20 3 
29 3
 Simplify each expression

6 5 5 6 3 6 

3 24  7 54 

2 8  7 32 
 Simplify each expression

6 5  5 20 

18  7 32 

2 28  7  6 63 
 FOIL with Radicals
• Use rules for multiplying and add/subtract
• Ex: (3 + 5)( 5 − 4)
To divide radicals:
divide the coefficients,
divide the radicands if
possible, and
rationalize the
denominator so that
no radical remains in
the denominator
Example 1:
56
 8 4*2  2 2
7
 Example 2:
This cannot be
divided which leaves
6 6 7
the radical in the  * 
denominator. We do 7
not leave radicals in 7 7
the denominator. So
we need to 42 42
rationalize by 
multiplying the 49 7
fraction by something
so we can eliminate 42 cannot be
the radical in the simplified, so we are
denominator. finished.
 Example 3:

This can be divided

which leaves the
radical in the
5 1 2
denominator. We do  * 
not leave radicals in 10 2 2
the denominator. So
we need to
rationalize by
multiplying the 2
fraction by something
so we can eliminate 2
the radical in the
denominator.
 Example 4:

This cannot be
divided which leaves
3 3 3
the radical in the
denominator. We do
 * 
not leave radicals in
12 2 3 3
the denominator. So
3 3
we need to
rationalize by

multiplying the
2* 9
fraction by something
so we can eliminate Reduce 3 3 3
the radical in the the 
denominator. fraction. 6 2