# Thread: Help with simplifying square roots

1. ## Help with simplifying square roots

Well, my teacher explained to use how to simplify squares roots but i forgot how to do it, and now i have to finsh the homework. Can any1 explain to me how to do this? Here are some problems i have to do.
square root of 12, -square root-200, and 5 square root 50 - 3 square root 2 +4 square root 8
the - are negatives.

2. $\sqrt{12}=\sqrt{2^2\times3}$

Can you take it from there?

3. she taught us how to Break it down to like 12 to square root 2 x square root 6
then square root 2 x square root 2 x square root 2. But i forgot how to finish it.

4. Originally Posted by Krizalid
$\sqrt{12}=\sqrt{2^2\times3}$

Can you take it from there?
Originally Posted by d4rkh4z3
she taught us how to Break it down to like 12 to square root 2 x square root 6
then square root 2 x square root 2 x square root 2. But i forgot how to finish it.
Do you mean $\sqrt{12} = \sqrt{2} \sqrt{2} \sqrt{3}$? How bizarre!

Well, note that you have two factors of $\sqrt{2}$, so $\sqrt{2}\sqrt{2} = 2$ and we have:
$\sqrt{12} = \sqrt{2} \sqrt{2} \sqrt{3} = 2\sqrt{3}$.

I find it easier (and faster) using Krizalid's method:
$\sqrt{12} = \sqrt{2^2 \cdot 3} = \sqrt{2^2} \sqrt{3} = 2 \sqrt{3}$
where I have included some steps that many would skip after some amount of experience.

-Dan