10-3 Skills Practice: Operations with Radical Expressions

What are radical expressions?

A radical expression is known to be any expression that has a radical (√) symbol. An example of a radical expression is the expression 7√7 + 2√7. To simplify this expression, we add the whole numbers together: 7 + 2 = 9. Since the radical is the same, we can combine them to get 9√7.

Understanding Radical Expressions

Radical expressions involve roots, such as square roots (√) and cube roots (∛). These roots indicate the operation of finding the number that, when multiplied by itself a certain number of times, gives the original number under the radical symbol.

Examples of Radical Expressions

Radical expressions can be simple, like √9, or more complex, like 5√7. In the example given, 7√7 + 2√7, we see that the radicals are the same, allowing us to combine them by adding the whole numbers in front of the radical and keeping the radical part the same.

Simplifying Radical Expressions

Operations with radical expressions involve adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing expressions that contain radicals. To simplify these expressions, we need to combine like terms by performing the necessary operations on the coefficients and keeping the radical part the same.

Practice Makes Perfect

n order to become proficient in working with radical expressions, it is important to practice solving various problems involving radicals. By mastering the operations with radical expressions, you will be able to simplify complex expressions and solve equations more efficiently.