View Single Post
  #7 (permalink)   [ ]
Old 02-24-2009, 07:54 PM
mmmmm_PIE mmmmm_PIE is a male Canada mmmmm_PIE is offline
Heaven is full of goodness and icosahedrons
Send a message via MSN to mmmmm_PIE
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Edmonton, AB
View Posts: 1,335
Re: So, does anyone know about rationalizing denominators?

Quote:
What's the square root of 5 over twenty 5 simplified??
√5 / 25

Write numerator and denominator in terms of a common base (let's use 5)

= 5^(1/2) / 5^2

In division, subtract the exponent in the denominator from the exponent in the numerator

= 5^(1/2 - 2)
= 5^(-3/2)

As John pointed out, this simplification is not an example of rationalizing the denominator, though I see where you might be confused.
Last Edited by mmmmm_PIE; 02-24-2009 at 07:54 PM. Reason: Reply With Quote