Simplify , leave the answer in the form a + b , where a, b and c are integers.
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Express the inside as a product of a perfect square x a number
Perfect squares are: 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, 81, 100, etc.
Their square roots is a number which when multiplied by itself gives the perfect square.
75 = 25 x 3
= = x = 5
18 = 9 x 2
= = x = 3
12 = 4 x 3
= = x = 2
Substitute the above into the original expression:
Rationalise the denominator by multiplying the numerator and denominator by the conjugate of the denominator.
The conjugate is simply changing the sign between the two terms.
Conjugate of (3 - 2) is (3 + 2)
= x
Multiplying the denominator by it's conjugate produces a difference of two squares:
Difference of two squares
(3 - 2)(3 + 2) = (3)2 - (2)2 = 18 - 12 = 6
Notes:
- The square affects each term inside the parentheses.
- (3)2 is 3 squared and squared.
- 3 squared is 9 and squared is 2.
- 9 x 2 = 18.
- 2 squared is 2 squared and squared.
- 2 squared is 4 and squared is 3.
- 4 x 3 = 12.
- When you square a square root, you get rid of the square root sign.
Multiplying the numerator:
5(3 + 2) = 5 x 3 + 5 x 2
5(3 + 2) = 5 x 3 x + 5 x 2 x
5(3 + 2) = 15 + 10
But = 3, so:
5(3 + 2) = 15 + 3 x 10 = 15 + 30
Putting it all together:
= = + = + 5
= 5 +