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Mathematics Surds

Brief explanations of surds

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75 views3 pages

Mathematics Surds

Brief explanations of surds

Uploaded by

msibisiyabonga691
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SURDS

Key Concepts of Surds


1. Definition of Surds:
• A surd is an expression containing a square root, cube root, or any higher root that
cannot be simplified to remove the root.
• A surd is typically an irrational number.
• For example, 2, 3, and 35 are all surds.
2. Simplified Form:
• A surd is considered simplified when the number inside the radical (the radicand) is
not divisible by any perfect square, cube, etc., and when no perfect powers can be
taken out of the radical.
• Example: 50=25×2=52 So, 50 simplifies to 52.

Laws and Properties of Surds


1. Product Law of Surds:
• The square root (or any root) of a product is equal to the product of the square roots
(or nth roots) of the individual numbers:
a×b=a×b
Example:
3×12=3×12=36=6
2. Quotient Law of Surds:
• The square root (or any root) of a quotient is equal to the quotient of the square roots
(or nth roots) of the numerator and the denominator:
ba=ba
Example:
28=28=4=2
3. Rationalizing the Denominator:
• When a surd appears in the denominator of a fraction, it is common to rationalize
the denominator. This means multiplying the numerator and denominator by an
appropriate surd so that the denominator becomes a rational number.
• Example (rationalizing 21): 21×22=22
4. Simplifying a Surd:
• To simplify a surd, factor the number inside the root into its prime factors and take
out any perfect squares (for square roots), cubes (for cube roots), or higher powers.
• Example: 72=36×2=36×2=62
5. Sum and Difference of Surds:
• Surds cannot be directly added or subtracted unless they are like terms, similar to
combining like terms in algebra. Like terms are surds with the same radicand (the
number under the root).
• Example: 2+2=22 But: be simplified further.2+3cannot be simplified further.

Types of Surds
1. Square Roots:
• A square root is the most common form of a surd and represents the principal square
root of a number.
• Example: 9=3,8=22
2. Cube Roots:
• A cube root is another common surd, representing the value that when cubed gives
the original number.
• Example: 38=2,327=3
3. Higher Roots:
• For higher roots (e.g., the fourth root, fifth root), the same principles apply. These are
expressed as na.
• Example: 416=2,532=2

Rationalizing Higher-Order Surds


1. Rationalizing the Denominator of a Cube Root:
• If you have a cube root in the denominator, you can rationalize it by multiplying both
the numerator and denominator by an appropriate cube root to make the denominator
a perfect cube.
• Example: 321×3434=3834=234
2. Rationalizing the Denominator of a Fourth Root:
• Similar to cube roots, multiply the numerator and denominator by the appropriate
root to eliminate the surd from the denominator.
• Example: 431×4949=42749=349

Applications of Surds
1. Pythagorean Theorem: Surds are often used in geometry, especially in problems involving
the Pythagorean theorem. When calculating the hypotenuse of a right triangle, surds
frequently arise. Example: For a right triangle with legs of lengths 3 and 4, the hypotenuse
is:
c=32+42=9+16=25=5
2. Quadratic Equations: When solving quadratic equations using the quadratic formula, you
may end up with a solution that involves a surd. Example: Solve x2−3=0:
x2=3⇒x=±3
3. Area and Volume Calculations: Surds are used in formulas for areas and volumes,
particularly when dealing with geometric shapes that involve square roots or cube roots.
Example: The area of a circle with radius r is:
A=πr2
If r=5, the area is:
A=π(5)2=5π

Simplifying Expressions with Surds


1. Combine Like Surds: Just as you combine like terms in algebra, surds with the same
radicand can be combined. Example:
32+52=82
2. Multiply and Divide Surds: Use the laws of exponents to multiply and divide surds as you
would with other algebraic expressions. Example:
2×3=6 25=25

Summary of Key Surd Properties


• Product Law: a×b=a×b
• Quotient Law: ba=ba
• Simplifying Surds: Break down the radicand into its prime factors and take out perfect
squares (or cubes, etc.).
• Rationalizing the Denominator: Multiply by the appropriate root to eliminate the surd
from the denominator.
• Combining Like Surds: Only like terms (same radicand) can be added or subtracted.

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