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2 10 - 9
1+ 3
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The term “surd” is used to name any number which
involves non exact square roots.

Surds are Irrational Numbers

Simple surds: 2 29 3
10
10
Other surds: 3 2 5 3 23 7
3

2+ 1 5- 2 2 10 - 9
1+ 3

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 The Rules of Roots and Surds
xy = x y e.g. 12 = 3 4 , 6 5= 30

x = x e.g. 10 10 , 50 50
y y 3
= 21
=
3 21
x
adding/subtracting:

a x ± b x = (a ± b) x e.g. 3 2 + 5 2 = 8 2
8 7 - 2 7=6 7

Note
Although we are showing these rules with square roots,
they work with all roots, i.e. cube roots, fourth roots etc
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 The Rules of Roots and Surds
1 1
xy = ( xy ) = x y =
1
xy = x y 2 2 2 x y
1 1
x
x x = éêxy ù x
2
x = =
2
=
y y y ë ú û y
1
2 y

adding/subtracting:

a x ± b x = (a ± b) x c (a ± b) = ca ± cb

Why do these rules work?

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 The Rules of Roots and Surds
xy = x y

x = x WARNING !
y y

x+ y¹ x+ y
adding/subtracting:
4+ 9 ¹ 13 » 3.6
a x ± b x = (a ± b) x
2 +3 = 5

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(2 + 3 )( 2 - 1) = 6 - 3+ 2 2- 2

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evaluate: (2 + 2 )(3 - 2)
(2 + 2 )(3 - 2) = 6 - 2 2 + 3 2 - 2

2´ 2 = 2
3´ 3 = 3
7.77 ´ 7.77 = 7.77
4 4 4
5
´ 5
= 5

p ´ p =p
´ =
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evaluate: (2 + 2 )(3 - 2)
(2 + 2 )(3 - 2) = 6 - 2 2 + 3 2 - 2 = 4 + 2

we treat surds like algebraic quantities

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 Expand the following brackets and simplify your
answer as much as possible:

(1 + 5 )(3 - 5) = 3 - 5 +3 5- 5= 2 5 - 2

(1 + 2 2 )( 2 - 1) = 2 - 1 + 4 - 2 2 = 3 - 2

(4 + 2 )(2 - 3) = 8 - 4 3 + 2 2 - 6 = 8- 6- 4 3+ 2 2

( 3- 2 )(2 2 - 3) = 2 6 - 3 - 4 + 6 = 3 6 - 7

(5 + 2 7 )(2 7 - 5) = 10 7 - 25 + 28 - 10 7 = 3
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72 - 50 = 2
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Common manipulations
involving surds are to xy = x y
write them in terms of x
x =
smaller surds. y y
This usually involves
application of the three a x ± b x = (a ± b) x
basic rules:

Simplify 8 8 = 4 ´ 2 = 4 ´ 2 = 2´ 2 = 2 2

Check!
Split 8 into two factors
One must be an exact root

© T Madas
Common manipulations
involving surds are to xy = x y
write them in terms of x
x =
smaller surds. y y
This usually involves
application of the three a x ± b x = (a ± b) x
basic rules:

Simplify 8 8 = 4 ´ 2 = 4 ´ 2 = 2´ 2 = 2 2

Simplify 20 20 = 4 ´ 5 = 4 ´ 5 = 2 ´ 5 = 2 5

Check!
Split 20 into two factors
One must be an exact root

© T Madas
Common manipulations
involving surds are to xy = x y
write them in terms of x
x =
smaller surds. y y
This usually involves
application of the three a x ± b x = (a ± b) x
basic rules:

Simplify 8 8 = 4 ´ 2 = 4 ´ 2 = 2´ 2 = 2 2

Simplify 20 20 = 4 ´ 5 = 4 ´ 5 = 2 ´ 5 = 2 5
Simplify 45 45 = 9 ´ 5 = 9 ´ 5 = 3 ´ 5 = 3 5
Check!
Split 45 into two factors
One must be an exact root

© T Madas
Common manipulations
involving surds are to xy = x y
write them in terms of x
x =
smaller surds. y y
This usually involves
application of the three a x ± b x = (a ± b) x
basic rules:

Simplify 8 8 = 4 ´ 2 = 4 ´ 2 = 2´ 2 = 2 2

Simplify 20 20 = 4 ´ 5 = 4 ´ 5 = 2 ´ 5 = 2 5
Simplify 45 45 = 9 ´ 5 = 9 ´ 5 = 3 ´ 5 = 3 5
98 98 98 49 ´ 2 49 ´ 2 7 2
Simplify 75 75 = = = =
75 25 ´ 3 25 ´ 3 5 3

Check!
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Common manipulations
involving surds are to xy = x y
write them in terms of x
x =
smaller surds. y y
This usually involves
application of the three a x ± b x = (a ± b) x
basic rules:

Simplify 8 + 32 = 4 ´ 2 + 16 ´ 2
= 4 ´ 2 + 16 ´ 2
= 2 2+4 2
= 6 2

© T Madas
Common manipulations
involving surds are to xy = x y
write them in terms of x
x =
smaller surds. y y
This usually involves
application of the three a x ± b x = (a ± b) x
basic rules:

Simplify 45 - 20 = 9 ´ 5 - 4´ 5
= 9´ 5 - 4´ 5
= 3 5- 2 5
= 5

© T Madas
Common manipulations
involving surds are to xy = x y
write them in terms of x
x =
smaller surds. y y
This usually involves
application of the three a x ± b x = (a ± b) x
basic rules:

Simplify 48 - 75 + 50 - 12
= 16 ´ 3 - 25 ´ 3 + 25 ´ 2 - 4´ 3
= 16 ´ 3 - 25 ´ 3 + 25 ´ 2 - 4´ 3
= 4 3- 5 3+5 2- 2 3
= -3 3 + 5 2
= 5 2- 3 3
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50 - 1
= 17 2 - 23
8+ 3

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In higher level mathematics, we usually want the
denominators of fractions surd-free.
Some of the reasons for this are:
• Easier to add fractions with rational denominators
• Easier to get a “feel” for the size of a fraction with
a surd-free denominator
• Looks!

Given a fraction with a surd appearing in the

denominator, we can find another equivalent fraction
with the denominator surd-free.

We are rationalising the denominator

Here are some of the “tricks” involved in this process:

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Rationalising Denominators with simple Surds

1 2 Check!
Rationalise the denominator of 2 = 2
1 ´ 2 2 2
2 2
= 2´ 2
= 2

3 Check!
Rationalise the denominator of 3 = 3

3 3 3´ 3 3 3
3
´ 3
= 3´ 3
= 3
= 3

3 3 5 Check!
=
Rationalise the denominator of 2 5 10
3 ´ 5 = 3´ 5 = 3 5 = 3 5
2 5 5 2 5´ 5 10 10

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Rationalising Denominators with not so simple Surds

Check!
1 = 3- 2
Rationalise the denominator of 7
3+ 2

1 ´ 3- 2 3- 2 3- 2
3+ 2 3- 2
= 9 - 3 2 + 3 2- 2
= 7

(a + b ) ´ (a - b ) = a 2- b 2
Check!
3 = 3 5+ 6
Rationalise the denominator of
5- 2

3 ´ 5+ 2 3 ´ ( 5 + 2) 3 5+ 6
5- 2
= 5 + 2 5 - 2 5- 4
= 1
= 3 5+ 6
5+ 2

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Rationalising Denominators with not so simple Surds

Rationalise the denominator of 2 = 6- 2

3+ 2
2 ´ 3- 2 2 ´ ( 3 - 2) 6- 2= 6- 2
3+ 2 3- 2
= 3- 6 + 6 - 2
= 1

(a + b ) ´ (a - b ) = a 2- b 2

Check!

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 Rationalising Denominators with not so simple Surds

An A*/A-Level example
2 6+ 3
Rationalise the denominator of
3 2- 2 3
= 3

2 3 2+ 2 3 2 ´ (3 2 + 2 3) 6+ 2 6 2 ( 3 + 6)
3 2- 2 3
´ 3 2+ 2 3
= ( 3 2) - (2 3 )
2 2 = 18 - 12
= 63

Check! 6+ 3
(a - b ) ´ (a + b ) =a 2
- b 2 = 3
= 13 ( 6 + 3)

6
How?
= 3
+1

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© T Madas