Learn Before
Example

Simplifying 836-\frac{8}{3\sqrt{6}}

Rationalize the denominator of 836-\frac{8}{3\sqrt{6}}, where the denominator contains an integer coefficient multiplied by a square root.

836-\frac{8}{3\sqrt{6}}

Step 1 — Multiply both the numerator and the denominator by 6\sqrt{6}. Only the radical portion of the denominator needs to be used as the multiplying factor:

86366\frac{-8 \cdot \sqrt{6}}{3\sqrt{6} \cdot \sqrt{6}}

Step 2 — Simplify. In the denominator, 66=6\sqrt{6} \cdot \sqrt{6} = 6, so 36=183 \cdot 6 = 18. In the numerator, 86-8\sqrt{6}:

8618\frac{-8\sqrt{6}}{18}

Step 3 — Remove common factors. The numerator coefficient 88 and the denominator 1818 share a common factor of 22. Factor and cancel: 8618=42692=469\frac{-8\sqrt{6}}{18} = \frac{-4 \cdot 2 \cdot \sqrt{6}}{9 \cdot 2} = \frac{-4\sqrt{6}}{9}.

The simplified result is 469-\frac{4\sqrt{6}}{9}. When the denominator has a coefficient in front of the radical, multiply only by the square root — the coefficient stays and becomes part of the product in the denominator. After rationalizing, always check whether the resulting fraction can be reduced further by canceling common numerical factors between the numerator and denominator.

0

1

Updated 2026-04-21

Contributors are:

Who are from:

Tags

OpenStax

Elementary Algebra @ OpenStax

Ch.9 Roots and Radicals - Elementary Algebra @ OpenStax

Algebra

Math

Prealgebra

Related
Learn After