 Page 3b Rationalizing a Binomial Denominator Example 1: 
We'll multiply top and bottom by the conjugate of the denominator: The middle terms on the bottom add to zero. One radical on top needs to be simplified. Example 2: 
The conjugate of the denominator is (4√3 + 5√2) FOIL on the top and on the bottom Evaluate all the perfect roots Combine like terms and simplify Both terms on top must be divided by -2 This type of question results in one of the longest solutions in high school math, with the exception of some differentiation questions in calculus (Math 31). |