SOLUTION: I need some help with a problem that states I need to rationalize the denominator. The problem is (square(3)-square(4))/(square(3)+square(4)). I did the steps that it said to, but

Question 191291This question is from textbook
: I need some help with a problem that states I need to rationalize the denominator. The problem is (square(3)-square(4))/(square(3)+square(4)). I did the steps that it said to, but my answer does not match the answer in the book. When I solved the problem I got (square(3)-square(4)(square(3)+square(4) with a - 1 for the denominator?
What am I doing wrong?
Any help would be greatly appreciated! This question is from textbook

Found 2 solutions by jim_thompson5910, kara!:
Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Start with the given expression.

Multiply both the numerator and denominator by

Note: is the conjugate of the denominator . Multiplying these two expressions yields a rational expression

FOIL the denominator (use the difference of squares formula)

FOIL the numerator (use the perfect square formula)

Square each term

Combine and multiply the roots.

Combine like terms.

Simplify to get

Multiply

Reduce

So
Answer by kara!(17) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

sq(3)-sq(4)/ sq(3)+sq(4)
to solve this, you need to multiply top and bottom by sq(3)-sq(4), in order to eliminate squares from denominator
so,
[sq(3)-sq(4)]/ [sq(3)+sq(4)]
in the denominator you will get -1, which is you got right, because 3-4=-1
in the numerator you will get 3-2sq(12)+4= 7-2sq(4*3)= 7-4sq(3).
your final answer if you divide by(-1), is : 4 sq(3)-7
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