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Mathematics 18 Online
OpenStudy (anonymous):

Okay, help with simplifying square root expressions???

OpenStudy (anonymous):

\[(6\sqrt{5})(2\sqrt{2})\] here's an example

OpenStudy (across):

\[\sqrt{x}=\sqrt{ab}=\sqrt{a}\sqrt{b}.\]

OpenStudy (across):

E.g.,\[\sqrt{56}=\sqrt{(4)(14)}=\sqrt{4}\sqrt{14}=2\sqrt{14}.\]

OpenStudy (across):

\[6\sqrt{5}=\sqrt{(36)(5)}=\sqrt{180}.\]

OpenStudy (across):

Get it?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

I still don't get it. What's with the numbers before the square root symbols?

OpenStudy (across):

\[\sqrt{5}\]is just a number. You can multiply a number by another number, like\[2\sqrt{5}\]or\[1000\sqrt{5}\]

OpenStudy (across):

If i asked you to simplify\[\sqrt{4},\]you'd answer:\[2.\]

OpenStudy (anonymous):

oh, ok. Thanks.

OpenStudy (across):

Notice, however, that\[\sqrt{a+b}\neq\sqrt{a}+\sqrt{b}\]as intuition would suggest.

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