A radical expression is one which contains a root (square root, cube root, etc.).
            

When first working with radicals, the expressions are primarily limited to
square root (a = 2) expressions and cube root (a = 3) expressions.

Let's examine Square Roots:
[On this page, the radicand will be non-negative. No negatives under the radical.]
Square roots have an index value of two. When you see a radical with no index listed, it is assumed to be an index of two, a square root.

A square root is in simplest form when 1. the radicand contains no perfect square factors 2. the radicand is not a fraction 3. there are no radicals in the denominator of a fraction.

1. Find the largest perfect square factor (the largest perfect square that divides into 48 with no remainder). You need to be familiar with a list of perfect squares.
                        
2. Give each factor its own radical sign.

3. Reduce the "perfect square" radical that was created.

4. ANSWER:

Don't worry if you do not pick the LARGEST perfect square factor to start. You can still get the correct answer, but you will have to repeat the process. See what happens if we choose 4 instead of 16 to start:          Notice how the out-front 2 in the second line is multiplied along for the rest of the problem.

The number 23 cannot be factored by any of the perfect squares (23 is prime). This is a trick question as it is already in simplest form and cannot be reduced further.

1. Give the numerator and denominator their own radical signs.

2. Multiply the numerator and denominator by a radical that will get rid of the radical in the denominator, by creating a perfect square under the radical. If a smaller value cannot be found, multiply by the same radical value that is in the denominator, automatically creating a perfect square. 
                   

This process of removing a radical from the denominator is referred to as "rationalizing the denominator" because it turns the denominator into a rational (not irrational) value.

The square root of a value is a quantity which, when squared, equals the radicand (the number under the square root symbol.) For example, the square root of 16 could be either + 4 or -4, since both, when squared, equal 16. It is understood, however, that the square root (radical) symbol denotes only the positive root, called the "principal square root". When solving the equation x2 = 25, you are searching for both solutions: +5 and -5. So, we write:

Let's see how this approach works with Cube Roots:

1. Find the largest perfect cube factor (the largest perfect cube that divides into 24 with no remainder).
                       
2. Give each factor its own radical sign.

3. Reduce the "perfect cube" radical that was created.

4. ANSWER: