Division with square roots at the base

In summary, the person is seeking help with their homework and has provided a problem and their solution for one of the exercises. They are unsure if they are on the right track and someone suggests using the conjugate of the denominator to rationalize the expression. The person is thankful for the advice and plans to try using the conjugate in future exercises.
  • #1
Anotherstudent
2
0
Hi, I am new here and I don't know if anyone is going to answer to this post, but if you do so thank you very much. I have been frowning on these kind of problems!

I have been trying to solve some exercices from my homeworks. However, I don't know if I am doing them correctly. Here is one problem and how I solved it :

3√3
------- IS WHAT I HAD TO SOLVE
6 - 2√3

HOW I SOLVED IT :

3√3 √3 3√9
------- X ------ = ------ = 9
6 - 2√3 √3 6-2√9 Thanks for letting me know if I'm on the right track :D

Ps: sorry i don't know how people do the square roots
 
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  • #2
Hello, Anotherstudent!

[tex]\text{Rationalize: }\:\frac{3\sqrt{3}}{6-2\sqrt{3}}[/tex]

Multiply numerator and denominator
. . by the conjugate of the denominator.

[tex]\frac{3\sqrt{3}}{6-2\sqrt{3}}\cdot\frac{6+2\sqrt{3}}{6+2\sqrt{3}} \;=\;\frac{3\sqrt{3}(6+2\sqrt{3})}{(6-2\sqrt{3})(6+2\sqrt{3})} [/tex]

. . [tex]=\;\frac{18\sqrt{3} + 18}{36-12} \;=\;\frac{18(\sqrt{3}+1)}{24} \;=\;\frac{3(\sqrt{3}+1)}{4}[/tex]
 
  • #3
Ahhhh this is it ! the conjugate! I knew something I was doing was wrong. Thank you so much for enlightening me, I will try to solve more exercice using the conjugate and I'll let you know how it did for me. Thanks a lot :) (heart)
 

FAQ: Division with square roots at the base

What is division with square roots at the base?

Division with square roots at the base is a mathematical operation where the numerator or denominator (or both) of a fraction contains a square root.

Why is division with square roots at the base important?

Division with square roots at the base is important because it allows us to solve equations and simplify expressions involving square roots.

How do you divide with square roots at the base?

To divide with square roots at the base, you can rationalize the denominator by multiplying both the numerator and denominator by the conjugate of the square root in the denominator. This will eliminate the square root in the denominator and allow for easier division.

What are some common mistakes when dividing with square roots at the base?

Common mistakes when dividing with square roots at the base include forgetting to rationalize the denominator, making errors in simplifying the square roots, and forgetting to simplify the final answer.

Can you divide with square roots at the base if there are variables involved?

Yes, you can divide with square roots at the base even if there are variables involved. You will use the same method of rationalizing the denominator by multiplying by the conjugate, but you will need to keep track of the variables and simplify them accordingly.

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