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Mistake in Rationalising Denominator that I can't figure out!

Problem is


367256+22\frac{3\sqrt 6 - 7\sqrt 2}{5\sqrt 6 + 2\sqrt 2}


After applying difference of squares numerator is


906123512+2890-6\sqrt 12 - 35\sqrt 12 + 28




Then




90123703+2890-12\sqrt 3 - 70\sqrt 3 + 28




Ultimately ending up with




5929371\frac{59- 29\sqrt 3}{71}












Solution is apparently








5941371\frac{59 - 41\sqrt 3}{71}




The difference is that solution carries out 61235126\sqrt 12 - 35 \sqrt 12 to get 4112-41\sqrt 12 before simplifying to square roots of 3.












I don't understand how what I've done is wrong, can someone explain?




Thanks
(edited 9 years ago)
You have done:

-70√3 + 12√3 = -58√3

What you should have done:

-70√3 - 12√3 = -82√3.
Original post by adameln
Problem is


367256+22\frac{3\sqrt 6 - 7\sqrt 2}{5\sqrt 6 + 2\sqrt 2}


After applying difference of squares numerator is


906123512+2890-6\sqrt 12 - 35\sqrt 12 + 28




Then




90123703+2890-12\sqrt 3 - 70\sqrt 3 + 28




Ultimately ending up with




5929371\frac{59- 29\sqrt 3}{71}












Solution is apparently








5941371\frac{59 - 41\sqrt 3}{71}




The difference is that solution carries out 61235126\sqrt 12 - 35 \sqrt 12 to get 4112-41\sqrt 12 before simplifying to square roots of 3.












I don't understand how what I've done is wrong, can someone explain?




Thanks

Work on your post formatting in future please aha :P

So you take 367256+22\frac{3\sqrt 6 - 7\sqrt 2}{5\sqrt 6 + 2\sqrt 2} and multiply it by the 'conjugate' of the denominator, (just going ot be working with the numerator here) 56+225\sqrt 6 + 2\sqrt 2.

You then get 906123512+28{90-6\sqrt 12 - 35\sqrt 12 + 28}.

The terms simplify down to 904112+2890-41\sqrt 12 + 28. And then the surds simplify, and you do the rest normally, remembering to put the new rationalised denominator back in and simplify the fraction.

Hope this helps :smile:

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