Combining Like Radical Terms
Adding and subtracting radical expressions is like adding and subtracting
polynomials.
| • With polynomials, to add
like terms, we add their
coefficients. |
5x + 7x = (5 + 7)x = 12x |
| • With radical expressions, to
add like radical terms, we
add the numbers in front of
the radicals. |
 |
Example 1
Note:
We can also write the result as:
|
are like radical terms.
So we add the numbers in front of the radicals.
Remember:
is
simplifies to
are like radical terms.
from 4.
The LCD of 4 and
