Question

How do you simplify `(8-sqrt3)(4-sqrt3)`?

Answer 1

`35 - 12sqrt3`

Explanation:

To multiply out this you do the same thing as what you would do with a polynomial. Therefore you need to multiply each term in the bracket by each term in the other bracket:
`8 xx 4 = 32`
`8 xx (-sqrt3) = -8sqrt3`
`(-sqrt3) xx 4 = -4sqrt3`
`(-sqrt3) xx (-sqrt3) = 3`

Then you can collect like terms and simplify:
`32 + 3 - 8sqrt3 - 4 sqrt3 = 35 - 12sqrt3`