Help understanding simplification of problem with radicals and exponents
Hello,
Im working on trying to learn trigonometry but my lack of a comprehensive understanding of algebra and basic math is holding me back here.
I am working on a problem using an online tutoring website and after asking the computer for help solving the problem it gave me an answer but I don't understand how it got there.
The original problem looks like this: (((3^.5)/3)^2+1)^.5
and it was simplified to this: (2(3^.5))/3
How was this done can someone explain the steps so I get a better understanding of the basic arithmetic going on here I would rather know how its done than continue to rely on the calculator like I have done for far too long with some obvious negative results. Thanks for any help you guys can give!
Re: Help understanding simplification of problem with radicals and exponents
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jkoziol 
Hello,
Im working on trying to learn trigonometry but my lack of a comprehensive understanding of algebra and basic math is holding me back here.
I am working on a problem using an online tutoring website and after asking the computer for help solving the problem it gave me an answer but I don't understand how it got there.
The original problem looks like this: (((3^.5)/3)^2+1)^.5
and it was simplified to this: (2(3^.5))/3
How was this done can someone explain the steps so I get a better understanding of the basic arithmetic going on here I would rather know how its done than continue to rely on the calculator like I have done for far too long with some obvious negative results. Thanks for any help you guys can give!
^2 + 1} &= \sqrt{\frac{\left(\sqrt{3}\right)^2}{3^2} + 1} \\ &= \sqrt{\frac{3}{9} + 1} \\ &= \sqrt{\frac{1}{3} + 1} \\ &= \sqrt{\frac{1}{3} + \frac{3}{3}} \\ &= \sqrt{\frac{4}{3}} \\ &= \frac{\sqrt{4}}{\sqrt{3}} \\ &= \frac{2}{\sqrt{3}} \\ &= \frac{2}{ \sqrt{3}} \cdot \frac{\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{3}} \\ &= \frac{2\sqrt{3}}{3} \end{align*})
Re: Help understanding simplification of problem with radicals and exponents
Thanks for the help I have one more problem for you.
Here is another simplification I don't understand
1/cosx=(2*3^.5)/3 and it was simplified to cosx=(3^.5)/2
If anyone could help me out it would be greatly appreciated.
Re: Help understanding simplification of problem with radicals and exponents
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jkoziol Thanks for the help I have one more problem for you.
Here is another simplification I don't understand
1/cosx=(2*3^.5)/3 and it was simplified to cosx=(3^.5)/2
If anyone could help me out it would be greatly appreciated.
now ... what is 3 divided by its own square root?
