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Math Help > Basic Algebra > Simplifying > Nested Radicals
Another example
Let x = sqrt(6-4sqrt(2)) = sqrt(6-sqrt(32))
This is the sqrt of a "perfect square" of the difference of sqrt(a)-sqrt(b), which is solved
more or less the same way.
So a+b=6, and 4ab=32
Solving for a and b, a=2 and b=4, so sqrt(6-4sqrt(2)) = sqrt(2)-sqrt(4) = sqrt(2)-2
Oops! This isn't the right answer; the sign is flipped. This happens, because when we
take the square root of both sides, we need to consider both square roots, and throw
out the wrong one. So the answer is 2-sqrt(2).
sqrt(c-sqrt(d)) = sqrt(a)-sqrt(b).
Square both sides:
c - sqrt(d) = a + b - 2 sqrt(ab)
Equating the rational parts and the irrational parts gives the same pair of equations, so
the final solution is very similar:
sqrt(c-sqrt(d)) = sqrt(c/2+sqrt(c2-d)/2) - sqrt(c/2-sqrt(c2-d)/2)
Again, if c2-d is a perfect square, then the RHS of the equation, above, is simpler than
the LHS, because it eliminates nested radicals.
Internet references
IBM's Ponder This Puzzle: September, 2000 - simplify sqrt(3sqrt5)+sqrt(4+sqrt7)+sqrt(6-sqrt35)
__________
-10 + 108
The webmaster and author of this Math Help site is Graeme McRae.