Question #e2dc3

1 Answer
Jun 17, 2017

Add like terms. In this case, the sum is #9sqrt2#.

Explanation:

Think of radicals as fractions or as variables.

Where the number under the radical is the denominator or as #x#. Thus, in order to add two terms, they must have the same radical.

In this case, the common radical is #sqrt2#, with the radicand being #2#. The #5# and the #4# are not the changes in the root (AKA cubed root or fourth root). Instead, they are coefficients.

I know this because the changes in the root are small numbers just above the first two strokes of the radical symbol.

I made it... myself

Therefore, we have a radicand of #2# and coefficients of #5# and #4#. These are like terms and we can simply add them.

#5sqrt2+4sqrt2#

#=9sqrt2#

Hope this helps :)