Chapter 0: Problem 62
Rationalize the denominator. (a) \(\frac{12}{\sqrt{3}}\) (b) \(\frac{5}{\sqrt{2}}\) (c) \(\frac{2}{\sqrt{6}}\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
(a) \(4\sqrt{3}\), (b) \(\frac{5\sqrt{2}}{2}\), (c) \(\frac{\sqrt{6}}{3}\).
Step by step solution
01
Rationalizing the Denominator for Part (a)
To rationalize the denominator of \( \frac{12}{\sqrt{3}} \), multiply both the numerator and the denominator by \( \sqrt{3} \) to eliminate the square root in the denominator. This gives: \[ \frac{12}{\sqrt{3}} \times \frac{\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{3}} = \frac{12\sqrt{3}}{3}. \] Simplify this expression: \[ \frac{12\sqrt{3}}{3} = 4\sqrt{3}. \] Hence, \( \frac{12}{\sqrt{3}} = 4\sqrt{3}. \)
02
Rationalizing the Denominator for Part (b)
To handle \( \frac{5}{\sqrt{2}} \), multiply both numerator and denominator by \( \sqrt{2} \): \[ \frac{5}{\sqrt{2}} \times \frac{\sqrt{2}}{\sqrt{2}} = \frac{5\sqrt{2}}{2}. \] The rationalized form is \( \frac{5\sqrt{2}}{2} \).
03
Rationalizing the Denominator for Part (c)
For \( \frac{2}{\sqrt{6}} \), multiply the numerator and the denominator by \( \sqrt{6} \): \[ \frac{2}{\sqrt{6}} \times \frac{\sqrt{6}}{\sqrt{6}} = \frac{2\sqrt{6}}{6}. \] Simplify the fraction \( \frac{2\sqrt{6}}{6} = \frac{\sqrt{6}}{3}. \) Thus, \( \frac{2}{\sqrt{6}} = \frac{\sqrt{6}}{3}. \)
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Simplifying Radical Expressions
Simplifying radical expressions is a crucial skill in algebra that involves breaking down expressions that contain square roots into their simplest form. This makes calculations easier and expressions neater. A radical expression typically involves a root, such as a square root, and simplifying it might mean making the expression free of fractions within the radical.
- Understanding how to identify like radicands (the number inside the square root) is the first step.
- You can simplify a radical expression by factoring out squares from under the root sign. For example, the expression \( \sqrt{18} \) can be simplified by recognizing that \( 18 = 9 \, \times \, 2 \), which leads to \( \sqrt{9 \times 2} = \sqrt{9} \times \sqrt{2} = 3\sqrt{2} \).
- Always make sure that the expression inside the root is as small as possible.
Square Roots
Square roots are a fundamental aspect of algebra, appearing frequently in both simple and complex mathematical problems. A square root of a number \( \sqrt{x} \) is a value that, when multiplied by itself, gives \( x \).
- Understanding basic properties of square roots helps, such as \( \sqrt{x^2} = x \) where \( x \) is a non-negative number.
- Square roots of positive numbers always result in two values: a positive root and a negative root, e.g., \( \sqrt{16} = 4 \) and \( -4 \).
- In operations, particularly with fractions and rationalizing, focusing on the positive root is important for standard solutions.
Fractions
Fractions are common in mathematical expressions and represent parts of a whole. In the context of rationalizing denominators, understanding fractions is crucial.
- Fractions have two parts: a numerator (top number) and a denominator (bottom number).
- When dealing with radicals in denominators, the aim is to make the denominator rational—meaning free from square roots or other radicals.
- Rationalizing involves multiplying both the numerator and the denominator by the radical present in the denominator.