Surds

30 December 2024

30/12/2024 1
Contents
 Simplifying a Surd
 Rationalising a Surd
 Conjugate Pairs

30/12/2024 2
Starter Questions

 Use a calculator to find the values

of :

36 = 144 =
6 12
3 4
8 = 16 =
3 2
2 1.41 3
21 2.76
What is a Surd ?

 These roots have exact values and

are called rational

36 = 144 =
6 12
 These roots do NOT have exact
values and are called irrational
SurdsOR

2 1.41 3
21 2.76
 Note :
Adding & Subtracting Surds
√2 + √3 does
not
equal √5

 To add or subtract surds such as 2,

treat as a single object.
 Eg.
4 2 6 2 16 23  7 23
10 2 9 23

10 3  7 3  4 3 13 3
Multiplying Surds

a  b  ab
• Eg
4  6  24
4  10  40

• List the first 10 square numbers

• 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, 81,
100
Simplifying Surds
 Some square roots can be
simplified by using this rule -
To simplify 12 we must split 12 into
factors with at least one being a
square number.
12
= 4 x Now simplify the square root.

3
=2
3
Have a go -
 You
need to look for square
numbers
 45  32  72
= 9 x = 16 x = 4 x 18
5 2
= = = 2 x 9 x
35 42 2
=2x3x
2
= 62
Simplifying Surds
 Simplify the following square roots :

 (1)  20 (2)  27 (3)  48

= = =
25 33 43

 (4)  75 (5)  4500 (6)  3200

= = 305 = 402
53
Starter Questions
 Simplify :

√20 = √18 =
2√5 3√2

1 x 1 1 x 1
2 2
= √4 √4
=
¼ ¼
Second Rule
a  a a
Examples

4  4 4 13  13 13
Rationalising Surds
 Remember fractions –

1
Numerator
2
 Fractions Denominator
can contain surds in the
numerator, denominator or both:

3 5 3 2
5 4 3 3 5
Rationalising Surds
 Removingthe surd form numerator or
denominator

 Remember
a  b  ab
the rules
a  a a
 Thiswill help us to rationalise a surd
fraction
Rationalising Surds
 Multiply
top and bottom by the
square root you are trying to
remove:
3 Multiply top and bottom by √5
5

3 5
5

Remember
3
 5 x 5 =  25 = 5 )

5 5 5
Rationalising Surds
 Remember multiply top and bottom
by root you are trying to remove

3
2 7
2 3
7

7

7

3 7
27  3 7
14
Rationalising Surds
 Rationalise the denominator

10
7 5
 10
7 5

5
5

10 5
7 5  2 5
7
Rationalise the Denominator
7 =
7 3 4 =
2 6 14 =
7 10
3 3 15
3 6 3 10

4 2 2 2 5 2 15 6 3 3 6
 = =
9 21 11
9 2 7 3 11 2
Conjugate Pairs - Starter Questions

 Multiply out :

3 3 =
3
14  14 =
14
( 12  3)( 12  3)
Conjugate Pairs.
 This is a conjugate pair. (5 + 2)(5 - 2)
 The brackets are identical apart from the
sign in each bracket .
 Multiplying out the brackets we get :

5 x 5 - 2 5 + 2 5- 4 =5- =1
4
 When the brackets are multiplied out the
surds ALWAYS cancel out leaving a
rational expression
Conjugate Pairs - Third Rule

 a b  a 
b a  b
 Eg.

 7 3  7 3  =7–3=4

 11  5  11  5  = 11 – 5 = 6
Rationalising Surds
 Rationalise
the denominator in the
expressions below by multiplying top and
bottom by the appropriate conjugate:
5 1
2
5 1
 2
5 1

5 1

2 ( 5 1) 2 ( 5 1) 5 1
 5 1  4
 2
Rationalising Surds
 Another one ...
( 3  2)
7
( 3  2)
 7
( 3  2)

( 3 2)


7( 3  2)
 ( 3 2 ) 7( 3  2)
Rationalising the Denominator
 Rationalisethe denominator in the
expressions below :
5 5( 7 +2) 3
= =3 + 6
( 7  2) 3 ( 3 2 )

6 4 -5 5 11 -6
= =
12 6( 6 - 4) 7 7( 5 - 11)
Session Summary
 Surds
 Simplifying Surds
 Rationalising Surds
 Conjugate Pairs

30/12/2024 24