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Example

Simplifying 3(52)3(5 - \sqrt{2}) and 2(410)\sqrt{2}(4 - \sqrt{10})

Use the Distributive Property to multiply expressions where one factor is a constant or a square root and the other is a binomial containing a square root, then simplify the result.

3(52)3(5 - \sqrt{2}):

Distribute the constant 33 to each term inside the parentheses:

3532=15323 \cdot 5 - 3 \cdot \sqrt{2} = 15 - 3\sqrt{2}

The result is 153215 - 3\sqrt{2}. No further simplification is needed because the integer 1515 and the radical term 323\sqrt{2} are not like terms.

2(410)\sqrt{2}(4 - \sqrt{10}):

Distribute 2\sqrt{2} to each term:

24210=4220\sqrt{2} \cdot 4 - \sqrt{2} \cdot \sqrt{10} = 4\sqrt{2} - \sqrt{20}

The Product Property gives 210=20\sqrt{2} \cdot \sqrt{10} = \sqrt{20}. Simplify 20\sqrt{20} by extracting its largest perfect square factor: 20=45=25\sqrt{20} = \sqrt{4} \cdot \sqrt{5} = 2\sqrt{5}:

42254\sqrt{2} - 2\sqrt{5}

The two radical terms have different radicands (22 and 55), so they cannot be combined further. In part ⓐ, each distributed product is simply a number times a radical. In part ⓑ, distributing a square root into a binomial containing another square root produces a radical product (20\sqrt{20}) that must be simplified afterward.

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Updated 2026-04-21

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