When simplifying an algebraic expression involving square roots, it's useful to remember that

\sqrt{x^2} = |x|.

It's tempting to think that \sqrt{x^2} is equivalent to x, but that's not true because \sqrt{x^2} is always non-negative, even if x is negative.

To illustrate, let's evaluate \sqrt{x^2} for a couple of different values of x\mathbin{:}

\begin{align*} \sqrt{4^2} &= \sqrt{16} = 4 \\ \sqrt{(-4)^2} &= \sqrt{16} = 4 \\ \end{align*}

In both cases, using absolute value gives the correct result:

\begin{align*} \sqrt{4^2} = |4| &= 4 &{\color{green}{\checkmark}} \\ \sqrt{(-4)^2} = |-4| &= 4 &{\color{green}{\checkmark}} \\ \end{align*}

FLAG

Simplify \sqrt{16y^2}.

EXPLANATION

Remember that the square root of a perfect square can be simplified using absolute value.

\sqrt{x^2} = |x|

Also, we notice that 16 and y^2 are both perfect squares.

First, we write the expression under the square root as a perfect square:

\begin{align*} \sqrt{16y^2} &= \sqrt{4^2\cdot y^2} \\[5pt] &=\sqrt{4\cdot 4\cdot y\cdot y}\\[5pt] &=\sqrt{4\cdot y\cdot 4\cdot y}\\[5pt] &=\sqrt{4y \cdot 4y} \\[5pt] &=\sqrt{(4y)^2} \end{align*}

Then, we take the absolute value of the squared quantity and simplify using the rules of absolute value:

\begin{align*} \sqrt{(4y)^2}&= |4y| \\[5pt] &=|4|\cdot |y| \\[5pt] &=4|y| \end{align*}

FLAG

$\sqrt{p^2}=$

a
$p$
b
$|p|$
c
$\pm p$
d
$p^2$
e
$-p$

$\sqrt{9a^2}=$

a
$\pm 3a$
b
$-3|a|$
c
$3|a|$
d
$3a$
e
$9a$

Simplify \sqrt{36a^2c^2}.

EXPLANATION

Remember that the square root of a perfect square can be simplified using absolute value.

\sqrt{x^2} = |x|

Also, we notice that 36, a^2, and c^2 are perfect squares.

First, we write the expression under the square root as a perfect square:

\begin{align*} \sqrt{36a^2c^2} &=\sqrt{6^2\cdot a^2\cdot c^2}\\[5pt] &=\sqrt{6\cdot 6\cdot a\cdot a\cdot c\cdot c}\\[5pt] &=\sqrt{6\cdot a\cdot c\cdot 6\cdot a\cdot c}\\[5pt] &=\sqrt{(6ac)\cdot (6ac)}\\[5pt] &=\sqrt{(6ac)^2} \end{align*}

Then, we take the absolute value of the squared quantity and simplify using the rules of absolute value:

\begin{align*} \sqrt{(6ac)^2} &=|6ac|\\[5pt] &=|6|\cdot |ac| \\[5pt] &=6|ac| \end{align*}

FLAG

$\sqrt{p^2q^2}=$

a
$q^2|p|$
b
$\sqrt{pq}$
c
$|pq|$
d
$\pm pq$
e
$pq$

$\sqrt{81a^2b^2}=$

a
$9ab$
b
$9|ab|$
c
$9a^2b^2$
d
$3|ab|$
e
$\pm 9ab$

Simplify \sqrt{\dfrac{4x^2}{y^2}}.

EXPLANATION

Remember that the square root of a perfect square can be simplified using absolute value.

\sqrt{x^2} = |x|

Also, we notice that 4, x^2, and y^2 are all perfect squares.

First, we write the expression under the square root as a perfect square:

\begin{align*} \sqrt{\dfrac{4x^2}{y^2}} &=\sqrt{\dfrac{2^2x^2}{y^2}} \\[5pt] &=\sqrt{\dfrac{2\cdot 2\cdot x\cdot x}{y\cdot y}} \\[5pt] &=\sqrt{\dfrac{2\cdot x \cdot 2 \cdot x}{y\cdot y}} \\[5pt] &=\sqrt{\dfrac{2x}{y}\cdot \dfrac{2x}{y}} \\[5pt] &=\sqrt{\left(\dfrac{2x}{y}\right)^2} \end{align*}

Then, we take the absolute value of the squared quantity and simplify using the rules of absolute value:

\begin{align*} \sqrt{\left(\dfrac{2x}{y}\right)^2} &=\left|\dfrac{2x}{y}\right| \\[5pt] &=\dfrac{|2x|}{|y|} \\[5pt] &=\dfrac{|2|\cdot |x|}{|y|} \\[5pt] &=\dfrac{2|x|}{|y|} \end{align*}

FLAG

$\sqrt{\dfrac{t^2}{16}}=$

a
$\pm \dfrac t4$
b
$ \dfrac{|t|}{4}$
c
$ \dfrac{t^2}{4}$
d
$ \dfrac{t}{4}$
e
$ \dfrac{|t|}{8}$

$\sqrt{\dfrac{p^2}{81q^2}}=$

a
$\dfrac{9p}{|q|}$
b
$\dfrac{9|p|}{q}$
c
$\dfrac{p}{9q}$
d
$\dfrac{|p|}{9|q|}$
e
$\pm\dfrac{p}{9q}$
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