Chapter 6: Problem 66
Write each expression in the form \(a+b i,\) where \(a\) and \(b\) are real numbers. $$ \frac{9-\sqrt{-18}}{-6} $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
-\frac{3}{2} + \frac{1}{2} i \(\sqrt{2}.\)
Step by step solution
01
Simplify the square root of a negative number
Rewrite \( \sqrt{-18} \) using the imaginary unit \( i \): \( \sqrt{-18} = \sqrt{-1 \cdot 18} = \sqrt{-1} \cdot \sqrt{18} = i \sqrt{18} \).
02
Simplify the square root of 18
Simplify \( \sqrt{18} \) as: \( \sqrt{18} = \sqrt{9 \cdot 2} = \sqrt{9} \sqrt{2} = 3 \sqrt{2} \). Therefore, \( \sqrt{-18} = 3 i \sqrt{2}.\)
03
Substitute back into the expression
Replace \( \sqrt{-18} \) in the original expression: \ \frac{9 - \sqrt{-18}}{-6} = \frac{9 - 3i \sqrt{2}}{-6}.\
04
Separate the fraction
Distribute the fraction \( \frac{9 - 3i \sqrt{2}}{-6} \) into two parts: \ \frac{9}{-6} - \frac{3i \sqrt{2}}{-6}.\
05
Simplify each term
Simplify each term separately: \ \frac{9}{-6} = -\frac{3}{2} \) and \( - \frac{3i \sqrt{2}}{-6} = -\frac{3}{6} i \sqrt{2} = \frac{1}{2} i \sqrt{2}.\
06
Combine the terms
Combine the simplified terms to write the expression in the form \(a + b i\): \ -\frac{3}{2} + \frac{1}{2} i \sqrt{2}. \
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Imaginary Unit
The imaginary unit, denoted as \( i \), is a mathematical concept that allows us to work with the square roots of negative numbers. The imaginary unit is defined by the property \( i^2 = -1 \). This means whenever we have the square root of a negative number, we can rewrite it using \( i \). For example, \( \sqrt{-1} = i \). By extension, if we need to find the square root of any negative number, we can factor it into a product involving \( i \):
This way, we transform the problem of dealing with a negative square root into a simpler problem involving the imaginary unit.
- \( \sqrt{-18} = \sqrt{-1 \cdot 18} = \sqrt{-1} \cdot \sqrt{18} = i \sqrt{18} \)
This way, we transform the problem of dealing with a negative square root into a simpler problem involving the imaginary unit.
Simplifying Radicals
Simplifying radicals involves breaking down a radical expression into its simplest form. A radical expression is simplified when there are no more perfect square factors under the square root. Here’s how you simplify \( \sqrt{18} \):
By recognizing that 9 is a perfect square, we were able to pull out a whole number, simplifying the expression. For our original problem, this helped us convert \( \sqrt{-18} \) into \( 3i \sqrt{2} \).
- Factorize 18: \( 18 = 9 \cdot 2 \)
- Break it down: \( \sqrt{18} = \sqrt{9 \cdot 2} \)
- Simplify: \( \sqrt{9 \cdot 2} = \sqrt{9} \sqrt{2} = 3 \sqrt{2} \)
By recognizing that 9 is a perfect square, we were able to pull out a whole number, simplifying the expression. For our original problem, this helped us convert \( \sqrt{-18} \) into \( 3i \sqrt{2} \).
Complex Number Form
A complex number is a number that has both a real part and an imaginary part. It is typically written in the form \( a + bi \), where \( a \) is the real part and \( b \) is the coefficient of the imaginary part. In our given problem, the goal was to rewrite the expression \( \frac{9 - \sqrt{-18}}{-6} \) in this complex number form. Here’s a summary of how we did it:
In this way, the final answer is a complex number in the form \( a + bi \), specifically \( -\frac{3}{2} + \frac{1}{2} i \sqrt{2} \).
- After simplifying \( \sqrt{-18} \) to \( 3i \sqrt{2} \), we replaced it back into the original expression: \( \frac{9 - 3i \sqrt{2}}{-6} \)
- Separated the fraction: \( \frac{9}{-6} - \frac{3i \sqrt{2}}{-6} \)
- Simplified each term: \( \frac{9}{-6} = -\frac{3}{2} \) and \( -\frac{3i \sqrt{2}}{-6} = \frac{1}{2} i \sqrt{2} \)
- Combined the simplified terms: \( -\frac{3}{2} + \frac{1}{2} i \sqrt{2} \)
In this way, the final answer is a complex number in the form \( a + bi \), specifically \( -\frac{3}{2} + \frac{1}{2} i \sqrt{2} \).