Learning subtraction of square roots

A square of a number a is a number x. therefore x2=a .A number x whose square is a. Every positive real number a has a unique positive square root, called the principal square root. Square root denoted by a radical sign as sqrt of a. For positive ax, the principal square root can also be written in exponent notation, as a1/2. We can undo a exponent with a radical, and a radical can undo a power. The “`sqrt(a)` “symbol is called the "radical “symbol..The line across the top is called the vinculum.

Subtracting Square Root Terms

Subtracting square roots

Subtracting square roots is combining like terms when we need to do that with algebraic expressions. The induces (a square roots index is 2 `root(2)(a)` , a cube roots index is 3  `root(3)(a)` , a 4th roots index is 4 `root(4)(a)` ,a 5th roots index is 5 `root(5)(a)` etc.) or the radicands (enclosed by parentheses after SQRT or the expression under the root sign) are the same.

Just as with "regular" numbers, square roots can be subtracted together. But you might not be able to simplify the subtraction all the way down to one number. Just as "you can't subtract apples and oranges", so also you cannot combine "unlike" radicals. To subtract radical terms together, they have to have the same radical part.

Simplifying Square-Root Terms

Simplify a square root, we take out anything that is a perfect square; that is, we take out front anything that has two copies of the same factor.

We can raise numbers to powers other than just 2; we can cube things, raise them to the fourth power, raise them to the 100th power, and so forth.

(ab)^2=a^2b^2  and`sqrt(ab)`   = `sqrt(a)``sqrt(b)` but we can’t write this subtraction of square root  `sqrt(a-b)`  = `sqrt(a)` - `sqrt(b)`

Example Problems on Subtracting Square Root

Example Problems

1. (4 * `sqrt(2)` ) - (5 * `sqrt(2)` ) + (12 * `sqrt(2)` )
Solution: Combine like
= (4 - 5 + 12) * `sqrt(2)`
Answer is 11 * `sqrt(2)`

2. (53 * `sqrt(5)` ) - (5 * `sqrt(5)` )
Solution: Combine like terms
(53 - 5) * `sqrt(5)`
= 48 * `sqrt(5)`

3. (40 * `sqrt(5)` ) - (48* `sqrt(5)` )
Solution: Combine like terms by subtracting the numerical coefficients.
(40 - 48) * `sqrt(5)`
= -8 *`sqrt(5)`
`sqrt(3x+1)`-( -`sqrt(2x-1)` )= 1    subtracting 2 square roots with variables
`sqrt(3x+1)` = 1 - `sqrt(2x-1)`
Take square both sides
3x + 1 = 1 - 2 `sqrt(2x-1)` + 2x-1
3x + 1 - 1 -2x + 1 = -2 `sqrt(2x-1)`
x+1 = -2 `sqrt(2x-1)`
take Square both sides again
x^2 + 2x + 1 = 4(2x -1)
x^2 + 2x + 1 = 8x -4
x^2 -6x + 5 = 0
(x-5)(x-1) = 0
x1 = 5, x^2 = 1