When simplifying an algebraic expression involving square roots, it's useful to remember that
It's tempting to think that is equivalent to but that's not true because is always non-negative, even if is negative.
To illustrate, let's evaluate for a couple of different values of
In both cases, using absolute value gives the correct result:
Simplify
Remember that the square root of a perfect square can be simplified using absolute value.
Also, we notice that and are both perfect squares.
First, we write the expression under the square root as a perfect square:
Then, we take the absolute value of the squared quantity and simplify using the rules of absolute value:
$\sqrt{p^2}=$
|
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
Remember that the square root of a perfect square can be simplified using absolute value.
Also, we notice that and are perfect squares.
First, we write the expression under the square root as a perfect square:
Then, we take the absolute value of the squared quantity and simplify using the rules of absolute value:
$\sqrt{p^2q^2}=$
|
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
Remember that the square root of a perfect square can be simplified using absolute value.
Also, we notice that and are all perfect squares.
First, we write the expression under the square root as a perfect square:
Then, we take the absolute value of the squared quantity and simplify using the rules of absolute value:
$\sqrt{\dfrac{t^2}{16}}=$
|
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
|
$\pm\dfrac{p}{9q}$ |