Objectives

The student will be able to:

1. simplify square roots, and

2. simplify radical expressions.

SOL: A.3
Designed by Skip Tyler, Varina High School
If x2 = y then x is a square root of y.
In the expression 64,
is the radical sign and
64 is the radicand.

1. Find the square root: 64

8
2. Find the square root: 0.04
-0.2
3. Find the square root:  121
11, -11
4. Find the square root: 441
21
25
5. Find the square root: 81
5

9
6. Use a calculator to find each
square root. Round the decimal
answer to the nearest hundredth.
 46.5
6.82, -6.82
What numbers are perfect squares?
1•1=1
2•2=4
3•3=9
4 • 4 = 16
5 • 5 = 25
6 • 6 = 36
49, 64, 81, 100, 121, 144, ...
 1. Simplify 147
Find a perfect square that goes into 147.
147  493
147  49  3
147  7 3
 2. Simplify 605
Find a perfect square that goes into 605.
1215
121 5
11 5
 Simplify 72

1. 2 18
.

2. 3 8
.

3. 6 2
.

4.
36 2
.
How do you simplify variables in the radical?
7
x
Look at these examples and try to find the pattern…
1
x  x What is the answer to 7
x ?
2
x x 7
x x 3
x
3
x x x
4 2 As a general rule, divide the
x x exponent by two. The
5 2
x x x remainder stays in the
6 3 radical.
x x
 4. Simplify 49x 2

Find a perfect square that goes into 49.

2
49  x
7x
5. Simplify 8x 25

25
42x
12
2x 2x
 36
Simplify 9x

1. 3x6
2. 3x18
3. 9x6
4. 9x18
6. Simplify 6  10
Multiply the radicals.
60
415
4  15
2 15
7. Simplify 2 14  3 21
Multiply the coefficients and radicals.
6 294
6 496
6 49  6
67 6
42 6
 Simplify 6 x  8 x
3

2
1. 4 x 3
.

2. 4 3x 4
.

3. x 2 48
.

4. 4
48x
.
How do you know when a radical
problem is done?
1. No radicals can be simplified.
Example:
8
2. There are no fractions in the radical.
Example: 1
4
3. There are no radicals in the denominator.
Example: 1
5
 108
8. Simplify.
3
Divide the radicals. Uh oh…
There is a
108 radical in the
denominator!

Whew! It
3
simplified!
36
6
 8 2
9. Simplify
2 8
4 1 Uh oh…
Another
4 radical in the
denominator!
Whew! It simplified 4
again! I hope they
all are like this! 2
2
 5 Uh oh…
10. Simplify There is a
7 fraction in
the radical!
Since the fraction doesn’t reduce, split the radical up.

5 5 7 35 35
   
7 7 7 49 7

How do I get rid Multiply by the “fancy one”

of the radical in to make the denominator a
the denominator? perfect square!