Like Terms and Simplifying Radical Expressions

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 138 views

Introduction

Radical expressions are a fundamental concept in mathematics, and simplifying them is a crucial skill for students and professionals alike. In this article, we will focus on simplifying the expression $\sqrt{6} + 10\sqrt{6}$ , which involves combining like terms and expressing the result in simplest radical form.

What is a Radical Expression?

A radical expression is a mathematical expression that contains a square root or other root. It is denoted by the symbol $\sqrt{}$ and is used to represent the value of a number that, when multiplied by itself, gives the original number. For example, $\sqrt{16}$ represents the value of a number that, when multiplied by itself, gives 16.

Like Terms and Simplifying Radical Expressions

Like terms are terms that have the same variable and exponent. In the expression $\sqrt{6} + 10\sqrt{6}$ , both terms have the same variable ( $\sqrt{6}$ ) and exponent (none). Therefore, they are like terms.

To simplify the expression, we can combine the like terms by adding their coefficients. In this case, the coefficients are 1 and 10, respectively. Adding these coefficients gives us:

$\sqrt{6} + 10\sqrt{6} = (1 + 10)\sqrt{6} = 11\sqrt{6}$

Expressing the Result in Simplest Radical Form

The result of simplifying the expression is $11\sqrt{6}$ . However, we can further simplify this expression by expressing the result in simplest radical form.

A radical expression is in simplest radical form if the radicand (the number inside the square root) is a perfect square. In this case, the radicand is 6, which is not a perfect square. However, we can simplify the expression by factoring out the largest perfect square from the radicand.

The largest perfect square that divides 6 is 2. Therefore, we can factor out 2 from the radicand:

$11\sqrt{6} = 11\sqrt{2 \cdot 3} = 11\sqrt{2} \cdot \sqrt{3}$

Conclusion

In this article, we simplified the expression $\sqrt{6} + 10\sqrt{6}$ by combining like terms and expressing the result in simplest radical form. We learned that like terms are terms that have the same variable and exponent, and that we can combine them by adding their coefficients. We also learned that a radical expression is in simplest radical form if the radicand is a perfect square, and that we can simplify an expression by factoring out the largest perfect square from the radicand.

Examples and Practice Problems

Simplify the expression $\sqrt{8} + 3\sqrt{8}$ .
Simplify the expression $\sqrt{12} + 2\sqrt{12}$ .
Simplify the expression $\sqrt{20} + 4\sqrt{20}$ .

Answer Key

$(1 + 3)\sqrt{8} = 4\sqrt{8} = 4\sqrt{4 \cdot 2} = 4 \cdot 2 \sqrt{2} = 8\sqrt{2}$
$(1 + 2)\sqrt{12} = 3\sqrt{12} = 3\sqrt{4 \cdot 3} = 3 \cdot 2 \sqrt{3} = 6\sqrt{3}$
$(1 + 4)\sqrt{20} = 5\sqrt{20} = 5\sqrt{4 \cdot 5} = 5 \cdot 2 \sqrt{5} = 10\sqrt{5}$

Glossary of Terms

Radical expression: A mathematical expression that contains a square root or other root.
Like terms: Terms that have the same variable and exponent.
Simplifying radical expressions: Combining like terms and expressing the result in simplest radical form.
Simplest radical form: A radical expression in which the radicand is a perfect square.
Radicand: The number inside the square root of a radical expression.
Perfect square: A number that can be expressed as the product of an integer and itself.
Frequently Asked Questions: Simplifying Radical Expressions ===========================================================

Q: What is the difference between a radical expression and a simplified radical expression?

A: A radical expression is a mathematical expression that contains a square root or other root, while a simplified radical expression is a radical expression that has been combined with like terms and expressed in simplest radical form.

Q: How do I determine if two terms are like terms?

A: To determine if two terms are like terms, you need to check if they have the same variable and exponent. If they do, then they are like terms.

Q: Can I simplify a radical expression by factoring out a perfect square from the radicand?

A: Yes, you can simplify a radical expression by factoring out a perfect square from the radicand. This is a common technique used to simplify radical expressions.

Q: What is the largest perfect square that divides a number?

A: The largest perfect square that divides a number is the largest number that can be expressed as the product of an integer and itself.

Q: How do I simplify a radical expression that contains a variable?

A: To simplify a radical expression that contains a variable, you need to combine like terms and express the result in simplest radical form. This may involve factoring out a perfect square from the radicand.

Q: Can I simplify a radical expression that contains a coefficient?

A: Yes, you can simplify a radical expression that contains a coefficient by combining like terms and expressing the result in simplest radical form.

Q: What is the difference between a rational number and an irrational number?

A: A rational number is a number that can be expressed as the ratio of two integers, while an irrational number is a number that cannot be expressed as the ratio of two integers.

Q: Can I simplify a radical expression that contains a rational number?

A: Yes, you can simplify a radical expression that contains a rational number by combining like terms and expressing the result in simplest radical form.

Q: How do I determine if a number is a perfect square?

A: To determine if a number is a perfect square, you need to check if it can be expressed as the product of an integer and itself.

Q: Can I simplify a radical expression that contains a negative number?

A: Yes, you can simplify a radical expression that contains a negative number by combining like terms and expressing the result in simplest radical form.

Q: What is the difference between a radical expression and an exponential expression?

A: A radical expression is a mathematical expression that contains a square root or other root, while an exponential expression is a mathematical expression that contains a power or exponent.

Q: Can I simplify a radical expression that contains an exponential expression?

A: Yes, you can simplify a radical expression that contains an exponential expression by combining like terms and expressing the result in simplest radical form.

Q: How do I determine if a radical expression is in simplest radical form?

A: To determine if a radical expression is in simplest radical form, you need to check if the radicand is a perfect square.

Q: Can I simplify a radical expression that contains a variable and a coefficient?

A: Yes, you can simplify a radical expression that contains a variable and a coefficient by combining like terms and expressing the result in simplest radical form.

Q: What is the difference between a radical expression and a polynomial expression?

A: A radical expression is a mathematical expression that contains a square root or other root, while a polynomial expression is a mathematical expression that contains a sum of terms with variables and coefficients.

Q: Can I simplify a radical expression that contains a polynomial expression?

A: Yes, you can simplify a radical expression that contains a polynomial expression by combining like terms and expressing the result in simplest radical form.

Q: How do I determine if a radical expression is equivalent to a polynomial expression?

A: To determine if a radical expression is equivalent to a polynomial expression, you need to check if the radicand is a perfect square and if the coefficients are the same.

Q: Can I simplify a radical expression that contains a trigonometric expression?

A: Yes, you can simplify a radical expression that contains a trigonometric expression by combining like terms and expressing the result in simplest radical form.

Q: What is the difference between a radical expression and a logarithmic expression?

A: A radical expression is a mathematical expression that contains a square root or other root, while a logarithmic expression is a mathematical expression that contains a logarithm or exponent.

Q: Can I simplify a radical expression that contains a logarithmic expression?

A: Yes, you can simplify a radical expression that contains a logarithmic expression by combining like terms and expressing the result in simplest radical form.

Q: How do I determine if a radical expression is equivalent to a logarithmic expression?

A: To determine if a radical expression is equivalent to a logarithmic expression, you need to check if the radicand is a perfect square and if the coefficients are the same.

Q: Can I simplify a radical expression that contains a complex number?

A: Yes, you can simplify a radical expression that contains a complex number by combining like terms and expressing the result in simplest radical form.

Q: What is the difference between a radical expression and a matrix expression?

A: A radical expression is a mathematical expression that contains a square root or other root, while a matrix expression is a mathematical expression that contains a matrix or array of numbers.

Q: Can I simplify a radical expression that contains a matrix expression?

A: Yes, you can simplify a radical expression that contains a matrix expression by combining like terms and expressing the result in simplest radical form.

Q: How do I determine if a radical expression is equivalent to a matrix expression?

A: To determine if a radical expression is equivalent to a matrix expression, you need to check if the radicand is a perfect square and if the coefficients are the same.

Q: Can I simplify a radical expression that contains a vector expression?

A: Yes, you can simplify a radical expression that contains a vector expression by combining like terms and expressing the result in simplest radical form.

Q: What is the difference between a radical expression and a tensor expression?

A: A radical expression is a mathematical expression that contains a square root or other root, while a tensor expression is a mathematical expression that contains a tensor or array of numbers.

Q: Can I simplify a radical expression that contains a tensor expression?

A: Yes, you can simplify a radical expression that contains a tensor expression by combining like terms and expressing the result in simplest radical form.

Q: How do I determine if a radical expression is equivalent to a tensor expression?

A: To determine if a radical expression is equivalent to a tensor expression, you need to check if the radicand is a perfect square and if the coefficients are the same.