Question

How do you simplify `3sqrt5-2sqrt20`?

Answer 1

See a solution process below:

Explanation:

First, we can begin the simplification process by rewriting the radical on the left as:

`3sqrt(5) - 2sqrt(20) => 3sqrt(5) - 2sqrt(4 * 5) => 3sqrt(5) - (2sqrt(4)sqrt(5)) =>`

`3sqrt(5) - (2 * 2sqrt(5)) => 3sqrt(5) - 4sqrt(5)`

We can complete the simplification by factoring out the common term and calculating the result:

`(3 - 4)sqrt(5) => -1sqrt(5) => -sqrt(5)`