Chapter 9 Radicals and Rational Exponents

Section 6 Rationalizing Radical Expressions

Section 9.6 Objectives

1 Rationalize a Denominator Containing One Term 2 Rationalize a Denominator Containing Two Terms

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Sullivan, III & Struve, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra

9.6 - 2

Rationalizing Denominators
When radical expressions appear in the denominator of a quotient, we need to rewrite the quotient so that the denominator does not contain radicals. This process is called rationalizing the denominator.
2 Example: Simplify: 3 2 2 3 2 3 2 3 3 3 9 3 3
This will make a perfect square.
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Sullivan, III & Struve, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra 9.6 - 3

Rationalizing Denominators
Example: Simplify:
5 pq 4 2r

5 pq 4 5 pq 4 2r 2r 2r 2r

10 pq 4r 2r
q 2 10 pr 2r
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Rationalizing Denominators
6 Example: Simplify: 4 2 9b
6 6 4 9b 2 4 4 2 2 4 9b 9b 9b 2

6 4 9b 2 4 81b 4

64 9b 2 3b 24 9b 2 b
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Conjugates
To rationalize a denominator containing two terms, we use the fact that (a + b)(a b) = a2 b2 and multiply both the numerator and denominator of the quotient by the conjugate of the denominator.

The conjugate of 5 6 is 5 6.
The conjugate of 3x 2 y is 3x 2 y.
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Simplifying with Conjugates

Example: Rationalize the denominator:
5 2 1
5 2 1

2 1 2 1 5 2 1 2 2 2 1
5 2 1
2

Multiply by the conjugate.

Distribute.

5 2 5 2 1

Simplify.

5 2 5
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Simplifying with Conjugates

Example: Rationalize the denominator: 3 6 5 7
3 6 5 7 3 6 5 7 2 6 3 7 2 6 3 7 2 6 3 7 2 6 3 7

2 6 3 7

3 2 6 5 7 6 3 7 2 2 6 3 7 6 3 7 3 2 3 3 5 2 5 3 6 6 6 7 7 6 7 7 2 3 6 7
2 2

(6)(6) 9 42 10 42 (15)(7) (4)(6) (9)(7) 36 19 42 105 141 19 42 141 19 42 24 63 39 39

9.6 - 8

Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.

Sullivan, III & Struve, Elementary and Intermediate Algebra