How do you simplify #sqrt((-3)(-12))#?
1 Answer
Feb 19, 2017
Explanation:
#sqrt((-3)(-12)) = sqrt(36) = sqrt(6^2) = 6#
What is interesting here is what you must not do:
#sqrt((-3)(-12)) != sqrt(-3)sqrt(-12) = isqrt(3)*isqrt(12) = i^2sqrt(36) = -6#
Note that for Real values of
#sqrt(ab) = sqrt(a)sqrt(b)#
only holds when at least one of