Reviewer for Mathematics 9 – Short Test

Radicals and Radical Expressions

We do not rest, until we do our very best ! – Motivation for the Short Test on 14
December 2023.
Prepared by Mr. Ethan Gabriel Ngo
Finding the square root or cube root of a number may or may not involve
complicated methods, such as prime factorization. However, there are different
ways on how such operations are performed on radicals, especially when it comes to
simplifying a surd or any monomial inside a radical.
Some basic rules of exponents and radicals include the following :
1) The nth root of a raised to the power of n is equal to a. In this case, just
remove the radical and the exponent and leave the base out.

2 2
Example : √(ab) = √a2 b = ab

2) The nth root of a product is equal to the product of the nth roots. In other
n n
words, you can write this as √ab = n√a √b.
3 3 4 4 4 4
Example : √8x = √8 3√x = 2 3√x, √256x2 = √256 √x2 = 4√x2 = 4√x
3) The nth root of a quotient is equal to the quotient of the nth roots. ( Note that
you can only multiply and divide similar radicals – not dissimilar radicals,
n
n a √a
unless you derive it ). It’s written as √b = n
√b
.

3
4 √4 2 3 27 √27 3
Example : √ = = ,√ = 3 = .
9 √9 3 125 √125 5
m
4) The mth root of the nth root of a is equal to the mnth root of a. √ n√a = m ∙n
√a =
mn
√a .
3 3(2) 6
Example : √√64 = √64 = √64 = 2
Operations of Radicals
When you want to add or subtract two different radicals, all you need to do is just
look if the radicals are similar or dissimilar. If they are similar, you can combine
like terms and treat them as variables.
Example :

Radicals – Reviewer, Page 1 of 6

5√2 + 3√2 - 10√2 = (5+3-10)√2 = -2√2 ; 3(√x + √y) - 2√xy = 3√x + 3√y - 2√xy

Careful ! For the second equation I’ve written here, don’t combine any dissimilar
terms such as x and xy or y and xy. Although they are factorable, they can’t be
combined when it comes to radicals.
However, when it comes to dissimilar radicals, don’t directly add or subtract the
radicals. Instead, convert them into surds until all of the radicals are the same.

√12 - √27 + √81 = 2√3 - 3√3 + 9 = -√3 + 9

Multiplying and Dividing Radicals
Multiplying and dividing radicals follows a different procedure compared to adding
and subtracting them. Here, you can just multiply and divide them directly without
converting them to surds. You’ll just need to convert and simplify them when you
already have the final answer. However, only radicals with the same index work—
you’d see the method on multiplying radicals with different indexes later.

The general rules for multiplying and dividing radicals are as follows : √a × √b=
√a
√ab and √a ÷ √b= . Also, if you are multiplying binomials ( ie. integers mixed
√b
with irrational numbers ), here’s an example to do it :

( 5 + √2)(3 + √5) = 5(3) + 5√5 + 3√2 + √10 = 15 + 5√5 + 3√2 +√10

*** Tip : Use the FOIL method and treat the radicals as variables, ie. let √2 = x and
√5 = y. You can re-write it as (5 + x)(3 + y) = 5(3) + 5(y) + 3(x) + x(y) = 15 + 5y + 3x +
xy, then you can re-substitute these values into the final answer.
Theorem 1 : You can’t multiply two radicals with different indexes.
Disproof : Let’s use proof by contradiction, in which we assume that multiplying
y
two radicals with different indexes is possible. Let α = a√x and β = √b. Now, let’s find
the value of αβ, but we must convert these into rational exponents.
1 1 b a b+a
ab
xa yb = xab yab = xy ab = √xyb+a ( general formula for multiplying radicals with
dissimilar bases ).
If you see a denominator on the radical, you should rationalize it. The general
formula to rationalize the denominator of the radical, for all a, b > 0, is :

√a √a √b √ab
= ( )=
√b √b √b b

Radicals – Reviewer, Page 2 of 6

This formula will only work if the index on the denominator is 2, but it’s not
applicable for those with denominators above 2.
1
Counterexample : Rationalize the denominator of 5 .
√2n
“ Rationalizing ” the denominator means setting its value so that the variable is
considered rational, not irrational. As a result, we need to find a missing monomial
which makes the radicand 32n5. Dividing this by 2n, you’d get the value of 16n4.
5
1 √ 16n4
Furthermore, rationalizing the denominator will give you a result of 5 (5 )=
√2n √ 16n4
5 5
√16n4 √16n4
5 =
√32n5 2n

For polynomials on the denominators, you can also use the following formulas to
rationalize the denominators.
1 1 x1 - x2 x -x
a) with x1 , x2 ∈ ℝ : ( ) = 12 2 2 ( this only works for square
x1 + x2 x1 + x2 x1 - x2 x1 -x2
roots )
3 3 3 3
1 1 √x2 - 3√xy+ √y2 √x2 - 3√xy+ √y2
b) 3 3
 3 3
(3
3 3 ) =( )
√ x+ √ y √x+ √y √x2 - √xy+ √y 2 x+y

Practice Questions :
Warm-Up

1. Perform the indicated operations : 2√50 - 3√30 + 10√20 +√200

2. Find the integer part of the sum (√2 + √3)4.

3. Solve for x in the following equation : 2√x2 + 1 = 9.

3 5
4. Simplify (√x7 )(√x5 ).

3
5. Rationalize the denominator of 3 3 .
√5+ √7

6. In the irrational function f(x)= √x+ √x+1+ √x+2+…+ √x+2022+ √x+2023, how
many zeroes ( real and complex ) are there ?

1 1
7. Solve √ + .
9 16

Radicals – Reviewer, Page 3 of 6

 8. Order the following numbers from least to greatest ( use letters only ) : a =
3 5 7
√2, b = √3, c = √5, d = √7

9. If √4x+ √9x2 = 3, find the value/s of x.

10. Simplify the value of √4+ √15

Mind Challengers :

1. The geometric mean of n numbers is defined as n√x1 x2 x3 …xn . Find the

geometric mean of 25, 10, 2√2, and √20.

2. Simplify √x + √y + √x - √y.

1
3. Find the value of x3 – x2 + x – 5 if x = .
√20 - 2

4. Find the geometric mean of the first 100 natural numbers.

2023 1
5. Compute the following : ∑n=1
√n+ √n+1

18x7 y2 z5 12x10 y5 z
6. Perform the indicated operations :√ + √
45x3 yz 50xyz8

√2 + √3
7. Compute the following value :
√10 + √14 + √15 + √21

8. If a is a positive solution to the quadratic equation x2 + x – 5 = 0, find the

numerical value of x2023 + x2022 + x2021 + … + x + 1.

9. Simplify √11- √120.

2x+ √xy+3y
10. If x and y are positive numbers, find the numerical value of if
x+ √xy-y
√x(√x+ √y)=3√y(√x+5√y) and x and y are positive integers.

11. If y varies jointly with the square root of x and z squared, and x = 20 and y =
10, find the value of z.

Radicals – Reviewer, Page 4 of 6

 12. If x = √2 - √3, y = 1 + √3 + 2√2, and z = √17, find the value of (x + y)3 + (y + z)3
+ (x + z)3.

13. If x = √2013 - yz, y = √2014 - xz, and z = √2015 - xy, find the numerical value
of (x + y)2 + (y + z)2 + (x + z)2. ( Philippine Mathematical Olympiad, 2013-14 )

14. Solve for x : √2x + √50x = 24.

15. If a = 5+ √7 and the decimal part of a is b, find the value of (a + b)5.

Brain Drainers :
Show your complete and comprehensive solution to each problem and circle your
final answer.

1. For what real values of x is √x + √2x - 1 + √x - √2x -1 = A given a) A = √2, b) A

= 1, c) A = 2 where only non-negative real numbers are admitted for square
roots ? ( International Mathematical Olympiad, 1959 )

2. Solve for x : √x + √x + √x +… = k, if k is the constant in the equation.

Radicals – Reviewer, Page 5 of 6

3. Let x, y, and z be positive real numbers such that x2 + y2 + z2 = 1. Prove that
x y z 3
+ + ≥√.
√1-yz √1-xz √1-xy 2

- End of Reviewer ----

Radicals – Reviewer, Page 6 of 6