Multiplying and Dividing Radicals

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Multiplying and Dividing Radicals

• Northwest-Shoals Community College
• Instructor Kim Ricketts

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Multiplying Radicals

• Using the distributive property
• Using the FOIL method

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More Multiplication

• A Special Factorization

This is the difference of two squares!
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Rationalizing the Denominator
We can rationalize by multiplying both the
numerator and the denominator by the
CONJUGATE of the denominator!

• Remember a simplified expression can not have a
  radical in its denominator! To correct this we
  rationalize denominators.

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Dividing Radicals

• Factor numerator and denominator, then write in
  lowest terms
• Rationalize if necessary