I am trying to figure out how to reduce simple square root fractions without a calculator. In my lecturer's notes, for instance, he reduces 1/√2 by multiplying with 4/√2. Following is his example and another example of him doing this:
How does he know how to do this?
I am allowed to bring notes for my exam, is there some practical table for the most common square root fractions I could bring?
Or is there some rule for reducing I can use?
Really hope you can help me out here, thanks!
Answer
That is generally called "rationalizing the denominator". [tex]\sqrt{a}\times\sqrt{a}= a[/tex] so multiplying both numerator and denominator of a fraction with a square root in the middle moves the square root to the numerator. 1√2√2√2=√22
More generally, if you have something of the form a+b√c in the denominator multiply both numerator and denominator by its "conjugate" a−b√c. Since (a+b)(a−b)=a2−b2 that will also get rid of the square root in the denominator: 12+3√22−3√22−3√3=2−3√24−9(2)=−2−3√214
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