What is “Rationalizing the denominator”?
Certain fractions have radicals in their denominators. Some of these radicals can get simplified, but some do not get simplified like√2, because they are irrational numbers, or not perfect squares.
Since division by irrational numbers or radicals that cannot be simplified does not lead to a definite result, it is not considered proper to write a fraction with a radical in the denominator.
Thus if the radicals in the denominator of a fraction do not get simplified, we rationalize the denominator of the fraction, which means that we convert the irrational number/expression into a rational number/expression by means of mathematical operations.
How to rationalize the denominator of a fraction?
In order to rationalize the denominator of a fraction, you need to first determine whether you need to do conjugation, or simply multiply again and again.If the denominator is a binomial, that means, if it contains two terms separated by a plus or a minus sign, then you have to perform conjugation in order to rationalize it.
On the other hand, if the denominator is just a radical, then all you need to do is multiply that radical again and again with the fraction as many times as is the power of the radical.
Denominator is a binomial
Example:x+33+√2
In this rational expression, the denominator is a binomial because it contains two terms separated by addition or subtraction. First find its conjugate as described here. Conjugate of 3+√2 is 3-√2 (simply change the sign on the second term).
Now multiply the conjugate with the numerator and denominator of the fraction.
x+33+√2⋅3-√23-√2
Now you need to expand the denominator by FOIL as follows:
(x+3)(3-√2)(3+√2)(3-√2)=(x+3)(3-√2)9-3√2+3√2-√2√2=(x+3)(3-√2)9-2=(x+3)(3-√2)7
Thus you have a fraction in which the denominator does not contain an irrational number or a radical:
x+33+√2=(x+3)(3-√2)7
The denominator is a radical
In order to rational a denominator which is a single term, multiply the denominator with the numerator and nominator of the fraction. For example,
2√2⋅√2√2=2⋅(√2)(√2)⋅(√2)=2⋅(√2)2=√2
If the denominator contains a radical that has a power greater than a square root, for instance, a cube root, you need to multiply it a total of three times as follows:
2∛2⋅∛2∛2⋅∛2∛2=2⋅(∛2)⋅(∛2)(∛2)⋅(∛2)⋅(∛2)=2∛(2⋅2)2=2⋅∛42=∛4
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