Simplifying Surds

1
Simplifying Surds

• OCR Stage 8

2
What is a surd?

• A number that can NOT be written a fraction
• Can be written as a non-terminating decimal
• Otherwise known as an irrational number
• Examples
• p
• v3
• 2 v5

3
Simplifying?
v36
6
2 x 3
v4 x v9
v36
v4 x v9
4
Simplify v50
5
Simplify v72
6
Simplify v12 x v27
v12 x v27
7
Or v12 x v27
v(12 x 27)
v324
18
8
Simplify
So
9
In algebra
Solve the equation
Give answer as surd in simplest terms