Question

Question #e2dc3

Answer 1

Add like terms. In this case, the sum is `9sqrt2`.

Explanation:

Think of radicals as fractions or as variables.

Where the number under the radical is the denominator or as `x`. Thus, in order to add two terms, they must have the same radical.

In this case, the common radical is `sqrt2`, with the radicand being `2`. The `5` and the `4` are not the changes in the root (AKA cubed root or fourth root). Instead, they are coefficients.

I know this because the changes in the root are small numbers just above the first two strokes of the radical symbol.

Therefore, we have a radicand of `2` and coefficients of `5` and `4`. These are like terms and we can simply add them.

`5sqrt2+4sqrt2`

`=9sqrt2`

Hope this helps :)