Simplify 11xxsqrt((49a^5)/(4a^3)?

2 Answers
Apr 6, 2017

Solution 2 of 2

Rather than use shortcuts I have given a lot of detail. This is so that you can see where some of the shortcuts come from.

Simplification is (77a)/2

Explanation:

You are looking for squared values/variables that can be 'taken outside' the square root.

Demonstrating a property by example:

Suppose we had sqrt(a/b) this can be written as sqrt(a)/sqrt(b)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Given:" "11sqrt((49a^5)/(4a^3)

Write as :" "11sqrt(49a^5)/sqrt(4a^3)

color(green)("For now forget about the 11. Deal with it at the end.")

Write as: " "sqrt(7^2xxa^2xxa^2xxa)/sqrt(2^2xxa^2xxa)

You can cancel some out at this stage. I will do it later.

'Extracting from the root' we have:

(7xxaxxa)/(2xxa)xxsqrt(a)/sqrt(a)

This is the same as:

7/2xxa/axxaxxsqrt(a)/sqrt(a)

But a/a=1 and sqrt(a)/sqrt(a)=1 giving

7/2xx1xxaxx1 color(green)(larr" turning into 1 is the same as cancelling out")

(7a)/2
Now we deal with the 11: ->11xx(7a)/2=(77a)/2

Apr 6, 2017

Solution 1 of 2: using shortcuts
Jumping steps in my head using the principles shown in solution 2 of 2

11xx(7a)/2=(77a)/2

Explanation:

Given:" "11xxsqrt((49a^5)/(4a^3)

11xxsqrt((49a^(5-3))/(4)

(77a)/2