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Coursework Notes - Number

 

Number - Surds

 

[ useful expressions ][simple rationalising of surds ]

 

[ rationalising using diff. 2 squares ][ reduction of surds ][ rational/irrational surds]

 

 

Surds

 

Surds are mathematical expressions containing square roots. However, it must be emphasized that the square roots are 'irrational' i.e. they do not result in a whole number, a terminating decimal or a recurring decimal.

 

The rules governing surds are taken from the Laws of Indices.

 

rule #1

 

surds #1

 

examples

 

surds  #3

 

rule #2

 

surds #2

 

examples

 

surds #4

 

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Some Useful Expressions

 

expression #1

 

surds #5

 

expression #2 - (the difference of two squares)

 

surds #6

 

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Rationalising Surds - This is a way of modifying surd expressions so that the square root is in the numerator of a fraction and not in the denominator.

 

The method is to multiply the top and bottom of the fraction by the square root.

 

surds #7

 

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Rationalising expressions using the 'difference of two squares'

 

Remembering that : .... surds8 .....from 'useful expressions' above.

 

Example #1 - simplify surds #9

 

multiplying top and bottom by surds #10

 

surds #11

 

 

Example #2 - rationalise surds #12

 

multiply top and bottom by surds #13

 

surds14

 

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Reduction of Surds - This is a way of making the square root smaller by examining its squared factors and removing them.

 

surds #15

 

 

Rational and Irrational Numbers - In the test for rational and irrational numbers, if a surd has a square root in the numerator, while the denominator is '1' or some other number, then the number represented by the expression is 'irrational'.

 

examples of irrational surds: surds #16

 

 

 

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