How do you simplify #8sqrt3+5sqrt3#?

2 Answers
Dec 22, 2016

#13sqrt(3)#

Explanation:

you can simplify #8sqrt(3)# and #5sqrt(3)# by collecting like terms.

#8sqrt(3)# and #5sqrt(3)# are like terms- they are both multiples of #sqrt(3)#.

#8+5 = 13#, so the result is #13 * sqrt(3)# or #13sqrt(3)#.

Dec 22, 2016

#13sqrt3#

Explanation:

Radicals can be treated in a similar way to algebraic terms in that we can add/subtract #color(blue)"like radicals"#

#"Example " 8x+5x # are like terms since they both contain the same variable x
We can therefore collect them together by adding their coefficients.

That is 8x + 5x = (8 + 5)x = 13x

#sqrt3# in both terms are considered like radicals as they have different values to #sqrt2,sqrt6" etc "#

#rArr8sqrt3+5sqrt3=(8+5)sqrt3=13sqrt3#