How do you simplify sqrt(a^2/b^2)?

1 Answer
Jul 13, 2015

Use the rule sqrt(x/y)=sqrtx/sqrty

Explanation:

=sqrta^2/sqrtb^2=|a|/|b|

Since a^2/b^2 is necessarily positive, we must assure that a/b is non-negative as well (that's why the absolute bars).

Or you could have used x^2/y^2=(x/y)^2

=sqrt((a/b))^2=|a/b|