SOLUTION: 8sqrt12-5sqrt3

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Question 227639: 8sqrt12-5sqrt3
Answer by jsmallt9(3758) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
8sqrt%2812%29-5sqrt%283%29
As with any addition or subtraction, you can only add or subtract "like" things. These square roots, as they stand, are not like square roots and we cannot subtract them.

But we can and should simplify the first square root:

So our expression, with the simplified square root, is:
16sqrt%283%29-5sqrt%283%29
And notice how we now have like square roots! So we can now subtract them:
16sqrt%283%29-5sqrt%283%29+=+11sqrt%283%29