Simplifying Radicals Math Example 3

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Example 3

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Simplify 200x4y3\sqrt{200x^4y^3}.

Solution

  1. 1
    Step 1: Factor inside the radical: 200=100ร—2200 = 100 \times 2; x4=(x2)2x^4 = (x^2)^2; y3=y2โ‹…yy^3 = y^2 \cdot y.
  2. 2
    Step 2: Rewrite: 200x4y3=100โ‹…2โ‹…(x2)2โ‹…y2โ‹…y\sqrt{200x^4y^3} = \sqrt{100 \cdot 2 \cdot (x^2)^2 \cdot y^2 \cdot y}.
  3. 3
    Step 3: Extract perfect squares: 10โ‹…x2โ‹…yโ‹…2y=10x2y2y10 \cdot x^2 \cdot y \cdot \sqrt{2y} = 10x^2y\sqrt{2y}.
  4. 4
    Check: (10x2y)2โ‹…2y=100x4y2โ‹…2y=200x4y3(10x^2y)^2 \cdot 2y = 100x^4y^2 \cdot 2y = 200x^4y^3 โœ“

Answer

10x2y2y10x^2y\sqrt{2y}
Factor the radicand into perfect squares and remaining factors. Extract each perfect square from under the radical: a2=a\sqrt{a^2} = a for non-negative aa.

About Simplifying Radicals

Simplifying a radical means rewriting it so no perfect-square factor remains under the root sign. For example, โˆš50 = โˆš(25ยท2) = 5โˆš2. The result โ€” called simplified radical form โ€” has the smallest possible number under the radical.

Learn more about Simplifying Radicals โ†’

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