Unit 6 : Surds

Objectives:

recognise surds and state the rules
of surds,

perform arithmetical operations
(addition, subtraction, and
multiplication) on expressions
involving simple surds in the
numerator,

rationalise fractions involving surds
in the denominator,

solve problem sums involving surds,
Name : ______________ ( )
Class : ________ Date :_________
Surd Rules
n m n m
a a a
1 1 1 1

n m n m
a a a
1 1 1 1

mn n m
a a
1 1 1
) (
m m m
b a b a
1 1 1
) (
m m m
ab b a
1 1 1
) (
We can use the above rules to:
simplify two or more surds or
combining them into one single surd
Simplify the following surds :
243 27
3 : Factor Common
m m m
b a ab
1 1 1
) (
Example 1:
Solution:
Simplify the following surds
28 112 175
7 : Factor Common
m m m
b a ab
1 1 1
) (
Example 2:
Solution:
Simplify the following surds
27 12 3 4
Example 3:
Solution:
Simplify the following surds
343 27 21 2
Example 4:
Solution:
243 48 2 3 8
Simplify the following surds
Example 5:
Solution:
Simplify the following surds

2
2 3 3 2
2 2 2
2 ) ( b ab a b a
Example 6:
Solution:
Simplify the following surds

2 2
3 3 3 2
) )( (
2 2
b a b a b a
Example 7:
Solution:

2 3
3 4 1 1 3 2
Simplify the following surds
Example 8:
Solution:
Rationalization of the Denominator
Process of removing a surd from the denominator
Example 9:
2
1
2
2
2
1

2 2
2

1
2
1

2
2

2
2

Multiple together!
Solution:
Example 10:
2 3
2

1
2 3
2

2 3
2 3

Multiple together!
Objective is
to remove
surds from
denominator
Conjugate Surds
Note!
2 2
) )( ( b a b a b a
Solution:
2 3
2 3
2 3
2

2 3
2

Re-look into the question:

Multiply conjugate surds
Multiply denominator
and numerator
2 2
) )( ( b a b a b a
Example 11 :
2 7
2 7
2 7
2

2 7
2

Rationalize the denominators:

Multiply conjugate surds
Multiply denominator
and numerator
2 2
) )( ( b a b a b a
Example 12:
1 3
1 3
1 3
3 3

1 3
3 3

Rationalize the denominators:

Multiply conjugate surds
Multiply denominator
and numerator
2 2
) )( ( b a b a b a
Example 13:
3 2 4
1 2 2

Rationalize the denominators:

Multiply conjugate surds
Multiply denominator
and numerator
2 2
) )( ( b a b a b a
Example 14:
3 2 2 3
3 2 2 3
3 2 2 3
3 2 2 3

3 2 2 3
3 2 2 3

Rationalize the denominators:

Multiply conjugate surds
Multiply denominator
and numerator
2 2
) )( ( b a b a b a
m m m
ab b a
1 1 1
) (
Example 15:
3 2 5 3
5 2 3 7

Rationalize the denominators:

Multiply conjugate surds
Multiply denominator
and numerator
2 2
) )( ( b a b a b a
Example 16:
7 3
1
7 3
1

Rationalize the denominators:

Determine the LCM
Multiply denominator
and numerator
7 3 7 3
Example 17:
2 2
) 5 3 (
5 3
) 3 5 (
5 3

2 2 2 2
) 5 ( 5 3 2 ) 3 (
5 3
) 3 ( 3 5 2 ) 5 (
5 3

Rationalize the denominators:

Expand the
denominators
Find the LCM
15 4 15 4 2
Example 18:
5 2 4
2 3
5 2 4
2 3 5

Rationalize the denominators:

Same denominator
Rationalization
Example 19:
Example 20: Given that k = , evaluate
3 5
3 5

2
2
1
k
k
Surds Check list
Complete Skill Check 1
Complete Skill Check 2
Complete Exercise 2.1 (textbook)
Complete Unit 6 Assignment 1
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