Surds | square root math is fun
Whenwecantsimplifyanumbertoremoveasquareroot(orcuberootetc)thenitisasurd.Example:√2(squarerootof2)cantbesimplifiedfurthersoitisasurdExample:√4(squarerootof4)canbesimplified(to2),soitisnotasurd!Havealookatsomemoreexamples:NumberSimplifiedAsaDecimalSurdornot?√2√21.4142135...(etc)Surd√3√31.7320508...(etc)Surd√422Notasurd√¼½0.5Notasurd3√113√112.2239800...(etc)Surd3√2733Notasurd5√35√31.2457309...(etc)SurdThesurdshaveadecimalwhichgoesonforeverwithoutrepeating,andareIrrationalNum...
When we cant simplify a number to remove a square root (or cube root etc) then it is a surd.
Example: √2 (square root of 2) cant be simplified further so it is a surd
Example: √4 (square root of 4) can be simplified (to 2), so it is not a surd!
Have a look at some more examples:
Number Simplified As a Decimal Surd ornot? √2 √2 1.4142135...(etc) Surd √3 √3 1.7320508...(etc) Surd √4 2 2 Not a surd √¼ ½ 0.5 Not a surd 3√11 3√11 2.2239800...(etc) Surd 3√27 3 3 Not a surd 5√3 5√3 1.2457309...(etc) SurdThe surds have a decimal which goes on forever without repeating, and are Irrational Num...