Suppose you get asked a question like the following:<\/p>\n
Example:<\/strong> Simplify \u221a(0.225)<\/p>\n Unless you have one of those new-style calculators, perhaps the WriteView or the natural display<\/span>, you might likely receive just a decimal.<\/p>\n If you need exact form, here’s how to do it by hand:<\/p>\n 1. Rewrite the question in fraction form:<\/p>\n \u221a(0.225) = \u221a(225\/1000)<\/p>\n 2. Reduce the fraction inside:<\/p>\n \u221a(225\/1000) = \u221a(9\/40)<\/p>\n 3. Write the radical separately top and bottom (which doesn’t change the value, but can make the problem simpler to consider)<\/p>\n \u221a(9\/40) = \u221a(9)\/\u221a(40)<\/p>\n 4. Take the square root of top and bottom separately, or else simplify:<\/p>\n \u221a(9)\/\u221a(40) = 3\/(\u221a(4)\u221a(10) )= 3\/(2\u221a(10))<\/p>\n 5. Rationalize the denominator; in this case, multiply top and bottom by \u221a(10) to remove the radical from the denominator.<\/p>\n (3\u221a(10))\/(2\u221a(10)\u221a(10))<\/p>\n Since \u221a(10) times \u221a(10) = 10, the expression becomes<\/p>\n (3\u221a(10))\/20<\/p>\n