Dividing with square roots

We spent time today going over the assignment from the weekend. After that, our lesson covered how to work with division of square roots.

1. Simplify any radicals with perfect squares
2. Reduce the fraction, if possible ... check again for perfect squares
3. Rationalize the Denominator - this is a process of eliminating square roots from the denominator of a fraction. This can take two forms. One form has us multiply the top & bottom of the fraction by a radical that will make the denominator into a perfect square. The other form has us multiply the top & bottom of the fraction by the conjugate of the denominator. Conjugates are specially made to eliminate square roots when they are multipied together. Conjugates have the same numbers & radicals, but they have opposite signs in the middle.

Examples of conjugates: (4 + √3) and (4 - √3); also (6 - √10) and (6 + √10)

For more help rationalizing denominators, try http://www.purplemath.com/modules/radicals5.htm

In fact, all of the lessons at Purple Math are well written with several examples.

There will be a quiz on Wednesday. We will hold a review session Wednesday morning at 7;45 in room 4303 for that quiz.

Homework: page 144 #10 - 18 & page 145 #8 - 15

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