MA 096 – SP 2015
7.5 Expressions Containing Several Radical Terms
Adding and Subtracting Radical Expressions
When two radical expressions have the same indices and radicands, they are said to be like radicals.
Like radicals can be combined (added or subtracted) in the same way that we combined like terms.
Example Simplify by combining like radical terms.
a) 3 5  7 5
3
3
3
b) 7 9s 2  9s 2  2 9 s 2
Example Simplify by combining like radical terms.
a) 2 18  7 2
3
b) 10 3 3m  24m4
Products and Quotients of Two or More Radical Terms
The procedure for multiplying out such expressions is similar to finding products of polynomials.
Example Multiply
2( y  7)
a)
b)
c)
 3 x  2  3 x2  3 

m n

m n

Definition Pairs of radical terms like,
m  n and m  n , are called conjugates.