- #1
kalish1
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A friend and I have been working on this problem for hours - how can the following expression be simplified analytically?
It equals $\frac{1}{2},$ and we have tried the following to no avail:
1. Substitution of $x = \sqrt{5}$
2. Substitution of $x = 2\sqrt{5}$
3. Substitution of $x = 5+\sqrt{5}$
4. Substitution of $x = \sqrt{5 + \sqrt{5}}$
Here goes:
$$\dfrac{\dfrac{\sqrt{5 + 2\sqrt{5}}}{2} + \dfrac{\sqrt{5(5 + 2\sqrt{5})}}{4} - \dfrac{\sqrt{10 + 2\sqrt{5}}}{8}}{\dfrac{\sqrt{5(5 + 2\sqrt{5})}}{4} + 5 \cdot \dfrac{\sqrt{5 + 2\sqrt{5}}}{4}}$$
Thanks in advance for any help.
This question has been crossposted here - fractions - How to simplify a diabolical expression involving radicals - Mathematics Stack Exchange
It equals $\frac{1}{2},$ and we have tried the following to no avail:
1. Substitution of $x = \sqrt{5}$
2. Substitution of $x = 2\sqrt{5}$
3. Substitution of $x = 5+\sqrt{5}$
4. Substitution of $x = \sqrt{5 + \sqrt{5}}$
Here goes:
$$\dfrac{\dfrac{\sqrt{5 + 2\sqrt{5}}}{2} + \dfrac{\sqrt{5(5 + 2\sqrt{5})}}{4} - \dfrac{\sqrt{10 + 2\sqrt{5}}}{8}}{\dfrac{\sqrt{5(5 + 2\sqrt{5})}}{4} + 5 \cdot \dfrac{\sqrt{5 + 2\sqrt{5}}}{4}}$$
Thanks in advance for any help.
This question has been crossposted here - fractions - How to simplify a diabolical expression involving radicals - Mathematics Stack Exchange