how do you simplify surds?
http://www.mathsisfun.com/surds.html
You find two numbers whos product is your surd. Trying to get one factor to be the square of a number. For example if you want to simplify a surd of 75 you would choose 25x3. you write it by using square root symbol(srs) in front of (25x3)= srs 25x srs 3 which equals 5x(srs)3 written the same without x. I am sorry this looks so confusing but my computer does not have a srs square root symbol.
To simplify surds, follow these steps:
Step 1: Identify the highest perfect square that divides into the number inside the surd. This will help to simplify the surd.
Step 2: Write the surd as the product of the square root of the perfect square identified in Step 1 and any remaining number.
Step 3: Simplify the square root of the perfect square to a whole number (if possible).
Step 4: If there is any remaining number outside the square root, rewrite it outside the square root as a simplified surd.
Let's look at an example to illustrate the process:
Example: Simplify the surd √72.
Step 1: Identify the highest perfect square that divides into 72, which is 36 (6^2).
Step 2: Write the surd as √(36 × 2).
Step 3: Simplify the square root of 36 to 6.
Step 4: Rewrite the remaining number outside the square root: 6√2.
So, √72 simplified is 6√2.