Example

Simplifying 22722\sqrt{2} - 7\sqrt{2}

To simplify 22722\sqrt{2} - 7\sqrt{2}, recognize that both terms share the identical radicand 22 and are therefore like square roots. You can combine them by subtracting their coefficients, exactly as you would with algebraic like terms. Compute 27=52 - 7 = -5, and keep the radical unchanged to get 52-5\sqrt{2}. This illustrates how subtracting a larger coefficient from a smaller one results in a negative coefficient, just as 2x7x=5x2x - 7x = -5x.

0

1

Updated 2026-05-01

Contributors are:

Who are from:

Tags

OpenStax

Elementary Algebra @ OpenStax

Ch.9 Roots and Radicals - Elementary Algebra @ OpenStax

Algebra

Math

Prealgebra

Intermediate Algebra @ OpenStax

Ch.8 Roots and Radicals - Intermediate Algebra @ OpenStax

Related
Learn After