1. ## surds

Hey, I'm really struggling with a question on my maths homework.

Express root5 +3/root 5 -2 in the form Proot5 + Q where P and Q are integers

I got 2root5

Is this right?

2. Originally Posted by maplematt
Hey, I'm really struggling with a question on my maths homework.

Express root5 +3/root 5 -2 in the form Proot5 + Q where P and Q are integers

I got 2root5

Is this right?
I get $4\sqrt{5} - 2$

It seems to be addition, don't let the surd fool you, it's like x+x = 2x

3. Originally Posted by e^(i*pi)
I get $4\sqrt{5} - 2$

It seems to be addition, don't let the surd fool you, it's like x+x = 2x
do you mind explaining how you got to that?

4. Originally Posted by maplematt
do you mind explaining how you got to that?
I could have misread the OP but I don't think so.

Let $u = \sqrt{5}$ so that the equation becomes $u + 3u - 2$

What I did was said that you can combine the u terms to give $4u - 2$

And since $u = \sqrt{5}$ we get $4\sqrt{5} - 2$

$4$ and $-2$ are both integers so it does satisfy the terms

5. Originally Posted by e^(i*pi)
I could have misread the OP but I don't think so.

Let $u = \sqrt{5}$ so that the equation becomes $u + 3u - 2$

What I did was said that you can combine the u terms to give $4u - 2$

And since $u = \sqrt{5}$ we get $4\sqrt{5} - 2$

$4$ and $-2$ are both integers so it does satisfy the terms
Thanks for the continued help,but I think you've misread, or maybe i didn't qrite it properly.

root5 +3/root 5 -2

(root5 plus 3) divided by (root 5 minus 2)

sorry if i caused some confusion.

6. Originally Posted by maplematt
Thanks for the continued help,but I think you've misread, or maybe i didn't qrite it properly.

root5 +3/root 5 -2

(root5 plus 3) divided by (root 5 minus 2)

sorry if i caused some confusion.
Hi maplematt,

$\frac{\sqrt{5}+3}{\sqrt{5}-2}\cdot \frac{\sqrt{5}+2}{\sqrt{5}+2}=\frac{5+5\sqrt{5}+6} {5-4}=11+5\sqrt{5}$

7. Originally Posted by maplematt
Thanks for the continued help,but I think you've misread, or maybe i didn't qrite it properly.

root5 +3/root 5 -2

(root5 plus 3) divided by (root 5 minus 2)

sorry if i caused some confusion.