Mathematics 9

3rd Quarter
Activity No. 3.7
Activity Title : Multiplication and Division of Radicals
Learning Target : a) To simplify radical expressions using multiplication and division
b) To rationalize the denominator of a fraction containing a radical expression
Reference : Our World of Math 9, p. 139–147
Julieta G. Bernabe, et al.
Concept Notes:
 Multiplying Radicals
To multiply radicals, we use the multiplication or product property:
n n n
√ x √ y= √ xy for x > 0 and y > 0
When multiplying radicals, it is important to remember two things:
1. The product property does not hold true if n is even and the radicands are
negative.
2. The radicals must be of the same order (indices are the same).
Note: The products are always expressed in simplest form.
Examples: Perform each indicated operation.

a) 5x √ √ 15 b) ( 3√20 b2 )( 3√50 b2 ) c) (11 √ 8 a )( 4 √ 4 a )

5 3 5 2

Solution:
a) √ 5x √ 15=√ 5 x ( 15 ) → Using multiplication property, √n x √n y= n√ xy
=√ 75 x → Multiply
=√ ( 25 ) 3 x → Factor the radicand
=5 √ 3 x → Extract the root the perfect square. Simplify

b) ( 20 b
√
3
)( √50 b2 )= 3√20 ( 50 ) ( b 2)( b2 )
2 3
→ Multiplication property
3
=√ 1000 b 4 → Multiply
3
=√ 10 b b → Write the radicand 1000 as 103. Factor b4
3 3

3
=10b √ b → Simplify

c) ( 11 √
5
8 a 3
)( 4 √
5
4 a 2
) = ( 11 ) ( 4 ) √8 ( 4 ) ( a 3) a2
5
→ Commutative property
5
=44 √ 32 a → Multiply
5

=44 ( 2 a ) → Extract the perfect fifth root

=88 a → Simplify
“To multiply two binomials containing radicals, either use the distributive property or apply special
products for multiplying polynomials.”
Examples: Simplify each of these radical expressions.

a) √ 2 ( √3+2 √ 5 ) b) ( √ 2x+ √ 3 y ) ( √2 x−√ 3 y )

c) ( 4 √11−2 ) ( 3 √11+7 ) d) ( √3 x−2 ) ( 3√ x 2+ 2 3√ x +4 )

Solution:
a) √ 2 ( √3+2 √ 5 ) =√ 2 ( √3 ) + √ 2 ( 2 √ 5 ) → distributive property (distribute √ 2 )
=√ 6+2 √ 10 →no factors for 6 and 10 which are perfect square,
therefore it is already in simplest form
2 2
b) ( √ 2x+ √ 3 y ) ( √2 x−√ 3 y )=( √2 x ) −( √3 y ) → product of the radical conjugates
=2 x−3 y
 c) ( 4 √11−2 ) ( 3 √11+7 )=4 √11 ( 3 √ 11 )+4 √11 ( 7 )−2 ( 3 √ 11 )−2 ( 7 ) → Foil Method
=4 ( 3 ) ( 11 )+4 ( 7 ) √ 11−2 ( 3 ) √11−14 .
=132+28 √ 11−6 √ 11−14
=118+22 √ 11
3
d) ( √ x−2 ) ( √ x +2 √ x +4 ) =( √ x ) − (2 ) → Special Product of Polynomials in the form
3 3 2 3 3 3

( a−b ) ( a 2 +ab+ b2 )= a3 −b 3 with

3
a=√ x and b=2
=x−8

The following examples illustrate how to multiply radicals of different orders.

1 1
( √ 2 ) ( √2 ) =2 ⋅2
3 2 3

a) → Change to rational exponents.

3 2
6 6
=2 ⋅2 → Change the exponents to equivalent fractions with the same denominator.
5
6
=2 → Product of Powers
6 5
=√ 2 → Change to radical form.
6
=√ 32 → Simplify.
1 1
4 5
b)
√ y⋅√ y= y ⋅y 4 5
→ Change to rational exponents,
5 4
20 20
= y ⋅y → Change to equivalent fractions with the same denominator.
9
20
=y → Product of Powers
20
= √y
9
→ Change to radical form.

 Dividing Radicals

We simplify selected radicals of the form

√x
√ y for x > 0 and y > 0, by first changing to the form √ x
y,

as follows: √ 18 x
√50 x 3 =
√ √ 50 x3
18 x
=
25 x 2 ( 2 x )
9 (2 x ) √=
25 x 2 5 x
9
=
3
However we do not always obtain a perfect square when we reduce radicals, so we need a more
general strategy for dealing with the problem of radicals in the denominator. The process of
simplifying a radical expression by removing the radical from the denominator is called rationalizing
the denominator.
Examples: Perform each indicated operation.
√2a
a) 7÷ √ √11 b) √3b
Solution:

√ 7÷ √11= √
7
a) √ 11 → Write the quotient in fractional form.
√7 √ 11
= ⋅
√ 11 √ 11 → Multiply both numerator and the denominator by √ 11 to
make the radicand in the denominator a perfect
square.
 =
√ 77
11 → The denominator rationalized; that is, the denominator is now a
rational number 11 instead of the irrational number √ 11 .

√2 a = √ 2 a⋅√3 b
b) √3 b √ 3 b √3 b → Multiply both numerator and the denominator by √ 3b to
make the radicand in the denominator a perfect square.

=
√ 6 ab
3b → Simplified form

● Rationalizing a Radical Expression with a Single Term in the Denominator ●

1. Write the expression as a single radical and reduce the fraction in the radicand to
lowest terms.
2. Multiply both the numerator and the denominator of this fraction by the radical
that will make the radicand in the denominator a perfect nth power.
Examples: Simplify each of these radical expressions.
3
√5 v √15 x 2 y 2
b) √ 35 xy
3 3
a) √ 4 w
Solution:
3 3
√5 v = √ 5 v
√ 4 w √ 22 w
3 3
a) → First, write the numerical coefficient of the radicand in the
2
denominator as a product of its prime factors: 4=2 .
3
5 v √2 w
3 2
=3
√ ⋅3 3
2
√2 2
w √2 w → Multiply both numerator and denominator by √ 2 w2 to make
the denominator a perfect cube
3
√
= 3
10 vw 2
√ 23 w 3
3
=
√ 10 vw 2
2w → Simplest form

b)
√15 x 2 y 2 =
√ 35 xy 3 √ 15 x2 y 2
35 xy 3 → Since the radicals share some factors, first write the expression as a single radical.

=
√ 5 xy 2 ( 3 x )
5 xy 2 ( 7 y ) → Reduce the radicand by dividing out the common factor, 5xy2.

=
√√ 3x
7y
3 x √7 y
= ⋅
√ √7 y
7 y
=√
21 xy
7y
● Rationalizing a Radical Expression with a Binomial Denominator Involving Square
Roots●
1. Reduce the fractions to lowest terms.
2. Multiply both the numerator and the denominator of the fraction by the
conjugate of the denominator.
6
Example 1: Simplify √ 7−√ 5
Solution:
 6
=
6
⋅
√ 7+ √ 5
√7−√ 5 √7−√ 5 √ 7+ √ 5 → Multiply both numerator and denominator by
√ 7+ √ 5 the conjugate of the denominator.
6 ( √ 7+ √ 5 )
=
7−5
6 ( √ 7+ √ 5 )
=
2
=3 ( √ 7+ √ 5 )
=3 √ 7+3 √ 5
Example 2: Divide 30 by 2 √ 17+2 √ 14
Solution:
30
30 ÷ 2 √17+2 √ 14=
2 ( √ 17+ √ 14 ) → Express the quotient in fractional form and
factor out 2, the GCF of the denominator
15
=
√ 17+ √ 14 → Reduce the fraction by dividing both numerator
and denominator by 2..

=
15
⋅
√17−√ 14
√ 17+ √ 14 √17−√ 14 → Multiply both numerator and denominator
by the conjugate of the denominator,
√ 17− √14 .
15 ( √ 17−√14 )
=
17−14
15 ( √ 17− √ 14 )
=
3 → Simplify the denominator and reduce to lowest term.
=5 ( √ 17− √14 )
=5 √ 17−5 √ 14
“To divide radicals of different orders, we first change the radicals to the same order.”
1 4
3
√2 = 2 = 2 3 12

4 1 3
√2 4 12
2 2 → Change to rational expressions. Express their exponents as similar fractions.
Example:
12 4
= 12
√2
√ 23 → Change to radical form.

√
4
212
=
23
12
= √2

Exercises: A. Perform the indicated operation and simplify the following.

1. ( 3 √3 2 ) (2 √3 −4 ) 4. ( 2+ √ 2 ) ( 4−2 √ 2+ √ 4 )
3 3 3

2. ( √3 2 x −5 ) ( 3√ 4 x+ 5 3√2 x+25 ) ( √ ( a+b ) ) (√3 ( a+ b ) )

5.

3. (5 3√14 x 2) ( 3 √3 −5 y ) − (2 3√−7 xy ) (7 √3 10 x )
B. Simplify the following radical expressions applying the quotient rule to divide,
rationalizing the denominator, and/ or performing other operations, if possible.
 √2 xy 2
√ 54 x √ x 2− y2
√
7 3 5
6. √6 x−5 7. √ x− y 8. √32 x7 y
4
9. 36x 4 y
10.
√8 xy 3
3

Mathematics 9
3rdQuarter
Activity No. 3.8
Activity Title : Division of Radical Expressions
Learning Target : a) To divide or find the quotient of radical expressions, and
b) To rationalize radical expressions
Reference : SIBS Mastering Intermediate Algebra II , p .203–208
Simon L. Chua, et al.
Concept Notes:
 Dividing Radicals

We simplify selected radicals of the form

√x
√ y for x > 0 and y > 0, by first changing to the form √ x
y,
√50 x 3 =
as follows: √ 18 x √ √
50 x3
18 x
=
25 x 2 ( 2 x )
9 (2 x )
=
√
25 x 2 5 x
9
=
3
However we do not always obtain a perfect square when we reduce radicals, so we need a more
general strategy for dealing with the problem of radicals in the denominator. The process of
simplifying a radical expression by removing the radical from the denominator is called rationalizing
the denominator.
Examples: Perform the indicated operation.
a) 7÷ √ √11
Solution:

√ 7÷ √11= √
7
a) √ 11 → Write the quotient in fractional form.
√7 √ 11
= ⋅
√ 11 √ 11 → Multiply both numerator and the denominator by √ 11 to
make the radicand in the denominator a perfect
square.

=√
77
11 → The denominator rationalized; that is, the denominator is now a
rational number 11 instead of the irrational number √ 11 .

● Rationalizing a Radical Expression with a Single Term in the Denominator ●

1. Write the expression as a single radical and reduce the fraction in the radicand to
lowest terms.
 2. Multiply both the numerator and the denominator of this fraction by the radical
that will make the radicand in the denominator a perfect nth power.
Examples: Simplify each of these radical expressions.
3
√5 v √15 x 2 y 2
b) √ 35 xy
3 3
a) √4 w
Solution:
3 3
√5 v = √ 5 v
√ 4 w √ 22 w
3 3
a) → First, write the numerical coefficient of the radicand in the
2
denominator as a product of its prime factors: 4=2 .
3
= 3√ ⋅√
3
5 v 2 w2
3
2
√2
3 2
w √2 w → Multiply both numerator and denominator by √ 2 w2 to make
the denominator a perfect cube
3
= √3
2
10 vw
√ 23 w 3
3
=
√ 10 vw 2
2w → Simplest form

b)
√15 x 2 y 2 =
√ 35xy 3 √ 15 x2 y 2
35 xy 3 → Since the radicals share some factors, first write the expression as a single radical.

√
2
5 xy ( 3 x )
=
5 xy 2 ( 7 y ) → Reduce the radicand by dividing out the common factor, 5xy2.

=
√√ 3x
7y
3 x √7 y
= ⋅
√7 y √7 y
=
√ 21xy
7y
● Rationalizing a Radical Expression with a Binomial Denominator Involving Square
Roots●
1. Reduce the fractions to lowest terms.
2. Multiply both the numerator and the denominator of the fraction by the
conjugate of the denominator.
Example: Divide 30 by 2 √17+2 √ 14
Solution:
30
30 ÷ 2 √17+2 √ 14=
2 ( √ 17+ √ 14 ) → Express the quotient in fractional form and
factor out 2, the GCF of the denominator
15
=
√ 17+ √ 14 → Reduce the fraction by dividing both numerator
and denominator by 2..

=
15
⋅
√17−√ 14
√ 17+ √ 14 √17−√ 14 → Multiply both numerator and denominator
by the conjugate of the denominator,
√ 17− √14 .
15 ( √ 17−√14 )
=
17−14
 15 ( √ 17− √14 )
=
3 → Simplify the denominator and reduce to lowest term.
=5 ( √ 17− √14 )
=5 √ 17−5 √ 14
“To divide radicals of different orders, we first change the radicals to the same order.”
1 4
3
√2 = 2 = 2 3 12

4 1 3
√2 4 12
2 2 → Change to rational expressions. Express their exponents as similar fractions.
Example:
12 4
= 12
√2
√ 23 → Change to radical form.

√
4
212
=
23
12
= √2

Exercises: Simplify the following radical expressions applying the quotient rule to divide,
rationalizing the denominator, and/ or performing other operations, if possible.
√2 xy 2
√ 54 x √ x 2− y2
√
7 3 5
1. √6 x−5 2. √ x− y 3. √32 x7 y
4
4. 36x 4 y
5.
√8 xy 3
3