# Simplification of an equation

• July 1st 2012, 12:11 PM
Lepzed
Simplification of an equation
I'm reading through some worked examples in a book and stumbled upon this one:

$\sqrt(\frac{1}{2}(1 - \frac{1}{2}\sqrt(3)) = \frac{1}{2}\sqrt(2 - \sqrt(3))$

I can't quite see to get there, could someone clarify this a bit? Would be a tremendous help :)
• July 1st 2012, 12:17 PM
skeeter
Re: Simplification of an equation
$\sqrt{\frac{1}{2}\left(1 - \frac{\sqrt{3}}{2}\right)}}$

$\sqrt{\frac{1}{2} - \frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}\right)}}$

$\sqrt{\frac{2}{4} - \frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}}$

$\sqrt{\frac{2 -\sqrt{3}}{4}}}$

$\frac{\sqrt{2 - \sqrt{3}}}{\sqrt{4}}$

$\frac{\sqrt{2 - \sqrt{3}}}{2}$

fyi, this is an expression, not an equation.
• July 1st 2012, 12:30 PM
Plato
Re: Simplification of an equation
Quote:

Originally Posted by Lepzed
I'm reading through some worked examples in a book and stumbled upon this one:

$\sqrt(\frac{1}{2}(1 - \frac{1}{2}\sqrt(3)) = \frac{1}{2}\sqrt(2 - \sqrt(3))$

Perhaps writing correctly would help.
$\sqrt{\frac{1}{2}\left(1+\frac{\sqrt3}{2}\right)}= \sqrt{\frac{1}{2}}\sqrt{\left(1+\frac{\sqrt 3}{2} \right)}$

Now note that $\sqrt{\left(1+\frac{\sqrt 3}{2} \right)}=\sqrt{\frac{1}{2}\left(2+\sqrt3\right)}$
• July 1st 2012, 11:48 PM
Lepzed
Re: Simplification of an equation
Thanks for your very clear clarification :)