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help on surds

ok so I get the general concept of surds and how you work simple ones out, but when getting to more difficult one how do you know what to divide by when simplifying or working out surds? you can divide the surd eg square root 200 by 2 but it can also be divided by 4 or 10 or 100 ect


Posted from TSR Mobile
Divide them by anything and you'll get to the same answer in the end
Smaller factors will take more steps to simplify though - so you'll have to split even more surds
So just go for the highest factors you can to save complications
In general, start by factoring out the largest square factor you can find. Repeat this until you are left with a number with no square factors within the square root.
Reply 3
Avatar for Tommy1499
Tommy1499
OP
2
ok but when dividing by X every time, at the end would you add all the X's together which would be likewise with other similar numbers'


SOO in general divide by the highest factor then?


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Tommy1499
ok but when dividing by X every time, at the end would you add all the X's together which would be likewise with other similar numbers'


SOO in general divide by the highest factor then?


Posted from TSR Mobile

I find in general is it best to factorise the highest square factor, because then the square and square root cancel.
Reply 5
Avatar for huzza
huzza
1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTt3TVjsjuY
here is a link to a video explaining how to do surds :smile:
Reply 6
Avatar for Tommy1499
Tommy1499
OP
2
ok thanks everyone


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