Surds are numerical expressions that involve irrational roots.

In other words, surds are numbers left in the

root (radical) form to express an exact value. Surds consists of 3 components, i.e., the radical symbol, the
radicand and the index. Generally, surds are written in the form of:
𝒏
√𝒂
Where:
𝑛 is the index (the power of the root),
√ is the radical symbol, and
𝑎 is the radicand.

Here, 𝑎 is a positive real number if 𝑛 is a natural number. If 𝑛 is an odd number then 𝑎 can be a negative
real number.

Surds are categorized into 2 types:

1. Similar Surds
Two surds 𝑚√𝑎 and √𝑏 are similar if 𝑚 = 𝑛.
𝑛

Example:
√2, √3, √5, are similar surds with common index 2 (square roots/2nd roots)
3
√5, √10, √11, are similar surds with common index 3 (cube roots/3rd roots)
3 3

√2, √4, √10, are similar surds with common index 4 (4-th roots)
4 4 4

2. Like Surds
Like surds share a common index and radicand. If either one of the index or radicands are not identical,
then the surds are unlike.
Example:
√2, 2 √2, 5√2, are like surds (with 3 and 2 as the common index and radicand, respectively)
3 3 3

√2, √2, 5∛2, are unlike surds since the indices are not identical
4

√3, 2 √5, 5√2, are unlike surds since the radicands are not identical
3 3 3

Properties of Surds
As with indices, surds have several properties, as such:

A. Laws of Surds
If 𝑎, 𝑏 are real numbers, below laws applies to surds:
 Law 1: √𝑎𝑏 = √𝑎 × √𝑏

Example:
1. √15 = √3 × 5
= √3 × √5
2. √24 = √4 × 6
= √4 × √6
= 2√6
3. √50 = √25 × 2
= √25 × √2
= 5√2
4. 3√2 × 5√2 = 3 × √2 × 5 × √2
= 3 × 5 × √2 × √2
= 15 × √4
= 15 × 2
= 30
5. √2 × √8 = √2 × 8
= √16
=4

𝑎 √𝑎
Law 2: √ =
𝑏 √𝑏

Example:
4 √4
1. √6 =
√6

2
=
√6
25 √25
2. √36 =
√36

5
=
6
5 √5
3. √9 =
√9

√5
=
3

B. Addition and Subtraction of Surds

For any value of 𝑎, 𝑏 or 𝑐, where 𝑎, 𝑏 and 𝑐 are positive rational numbers, surds can be simplified as:
 Addition : 𝑎√𝑐 + 𝑏√𝑐 = (𝑎 + 𝑏)√𝑐

Subtraction : 𝑎√𝑐 − 𝑏√𝑐 = (𝑎 − 𝑏)√𝑐

Example:
1. 2√3 + 4√3 = (2 + 4)√3
= 6√3
2. 8√5 − 5√5 = (8 − 5)√5
= 3√5
3. √75 + √48 = √25 × 3 + √16 × 3
= 5√3 + 4√3
= 9√3
4. √32 − √8 = √16 × 2 − √4 × 2
= 4√2 − 2√2
= 2√2

❖ Exercise 1
1. Using Law 1, write each surd in the simplest form.
a. √12 b. √20 c. √35 d. √54 e. √72

2. Using Law 2, write each surd in the simplest form.

2 12 36 9 81
a. √16 b. √25 c. √20 d. √10 e. √10

3. Express, in the simplest form, the addition and subtraction of the surds below.
a. 3√6 − 6√6 c. 2√3 − 5√3 + 8√3 e. √6 + 5√6 − 3√6
b. √5 − 3√5 + 6√5 d. 4√5 − 2√5 − 3√5 f. 8√2 − 3√2 − 4√2

4. Using Law 1 and 2, express, in the simplest form, the addition and subtraction of below surds.
a. √125 − 2√5 d. √125 − 3√5 + √50 g. √27 + √48 − √12
b. √2 + √8 + √32 e. 4√6 + √24 − √54 h. 2√150 − 5√54 − 7√96
c. 2√3 − √27 + √48 f. 3√7 + √28 − 4√7

5. Calculate!
a. √2 × √2 d. (√6 × √2) × √3 g. (√2 × √12) × √3
b. (√3 × √3) × √6 e. 2√2 × 3√3 × 4√5 h. (√12 × √6) × √3
c. (√2 × √3) × √5 f. (√3 × √3) × √5
 6. Calculate below surds!
2
a. √3(2√3 − 5) d. (√5 + √3)(√5 − √3) g. (√6 + √3)
b. √2(5 + 3√2) e. (√7 + √2)(√7 − √2) h. (√2 − √3)
2

c. (√3 + √2)(√3 − √2) f. (√5 − √2)(√5 − √2)

7. If 𝑝 = 3 − √5 and 𝑞 = 3 + √5, find:

a. 2𝑝 + 2𝑞 d. 2𝑝– 3𝑞 g. 𝑝2 + 𝑞2
b. 2𝑝– 2𝑞 e. 4𝑝𝑞 h. 𝑝2 − 𝑞2
c. 2𝑝 + 3𝑞 f. 4𝑝𝑞– (𝑝 + 𝑞) i. (𝑝 + 𝑞)2

8. Repeat the questions in number 3 for 𝑝 = √6 + √2 and 𝑞 = √6 − √2.

C. Rationalising Surds
𝑎
C.1. Fraction (where 𝑎 is a rational number and √𝑏 is a surd), can be rationalised by multiplying with
√𝑏

√𝑏
to obtain:
√𝑏

𝑎 𝑎 √𝑏
= ×
√𝑏 √𝑏 √𝑏
𝑎√𝑏
=
𝑏
Example:
5 5 √3
1. = ×
√3 √3 √3

5√3
=
3
3 3 √6
2. = ×
√6 √6 √6

3√6
=
6
√6
=
2
√5 √5 √3
3. 2√3
= 2√3
×
√3

√15
=
2×3
√15
=
6
 𝑐
C.2. Fraction can be rationalised by multiplying the numerator and denominator with the conjugate
√𝑎+√𝑏

(√𝑎 − √𝑏) to obtain:

𝑐 𝑐 √𝑎 − √𝑏
= ×
√𝑎 + √𝑏 √𝑎 + √𝑏 √𝑎 − √𝑏
𝑐(√𝑎 − √𝑏)
=
𝑎−𝑏
Example:
6 6 √5−√3
1. = × A math conjugate is formed by
√5+√3 √5+√3 √5−√3
changing the sign between two
6(√5 − √3) terms in a binomial. For instance,
=
5−3 the conjugate of 𝑎 + √𝑏 is 𝑎 − √𝑏.
6(√5−√3) Vice versa, the conjugate of 𝑎 − √𝑏
= 2 is 𝑎 + √𝑏.

= 3(√5 − √3)
7 7 2√5− √6
2. 2√5+√6
= 2√5+√6
× 2√5−√6

7(2√5 − √6)
=
4×5−6
7(2√5 − √6)
=
14
(2√5 − √6)
=
2

𝑐
C.3. Vice versa, can be rationalised by multiplying with the conjugate (√𝑎 + √𝑏) to obtain:
√𝑎−√𝑏

𝑐 𝑐 √𝑎 + √𝑏
= ×
√𝑎 − √𝑏 √𝑎 − √𝑏 √𝑎 + √𝑏
𝑐(√𝑎 + √𝑏)
=
𝑎−𝑏
Example:
8 8 √7+√3
1. = ×
√7−√3 √7−√3 √7+√3

8(√7 + √3)
=
7−3
8(√7 + √3)
=
4
= 2(√7 + √3)

2√3 2√3 √6 + √3
2. = ×
√6− √3 √6− √3 √6 + √3

2√3(√6 + √3)
=
6−3
 2√18 − 2 × 3
=
3
2 × 3√2 − 2 × 3
=
3
3 × (2√2 − 2)
=
3
= 2√2 − 2

𝑐
C.4. Fraction 𝑎+√𝑏 can be rationalised by multiplying with the conjugate (𝑎 − √𝑏) to obtain:

𝑐 𝑐 𝑎 − √𝑏
= ×
𝑎 + √𝑏 𝑎 + √𝑏 𝑎 − √𝑏
𝑐(𝑎 − √𝑏)
=
𝑎2 − 𝑏
Example:
4 4 3−√5
1. 3+√5
= 3+√5 × 3−√5

4(3 − √5)
=
9−5
4(3 − √5)
=
4
= (3 − √5)
√3 √3 3−2√2
2. 3+2√2
= 3+2√2
× 3−2√2

√3(3 − 2√2)
=
9−4×2
√3(3 − 2√2)
=
9−8
= 3√3 − 2√6

𝑐
C.5. Vice versa, 𝑎−√𝑏
can be rationalised by multiplying with the conjugate (𝑎 + √𝑏) to obtain:

𝑐 𝑐 𝑎 + √𝑏
= ×
𝑎 − √𝑏 𝑎 − √𝑏 𝑎 + √𝑏
𝑐(𝑎 + √𝑏)
=
𝑎2 − 𝑏
Example:
4 4 3+√5
3−√5
= 3−√5 × 3+√5

4(3 + √5)
=
9−5
4(3 + √5)
=
4
= 3 + √5
❖ Exercise 2
1. Rationalise below fractions:
8 9 10 9
a. c. e. g. 3√3
√2 √3 √5
5 4 6 12
b. d. f. h.
√3 √5 2√2 √6

2. Rationalise below denominators then calculate each surd up to 3 decimal places. (Hint: √2 = 1,4142;
√3 = 1,7321; √5 = 2,2361; and √6 = 2,4495)
4 9 30 12
a. b. 6√3
c. d.
√2 √5 √6

3. Write the denominators of below fractions as surds in the simplest form. Then, rationalise each
fraction.
1 2 8 6
a. c. e. g.
√8 √18 √28 √27
3 6 10 12
b. d. f. h.
√12 √20 √50 √54

4. Express below fractions in a rational denominator.

9 4 2 5
a. √2 c. √10 e. √5 g. √3

16 3 7 7
b. √ d. √ f. √ h. √
5 7 6 10

5. Determine the conjugate of below expressions.

a. 3 + √2 c. √3 + 4 e. 4 + √6 g. √5 + √3
b. 2 − √2 d. √2 − 5 f. 3 − √8 h. √2 − √5
6. Rationalise the denominator of below fractions.
2
a. 1−√2 c.
3− √2
e.
4+ √3
g.
√3 − √6
3+ √2 4 − √3 √3− √2
√2
b. d.
√5−3
f.
√3 − √5
h.
2 − √3
√2−3 √5+3 √3 + √5 √3 + √2