Steps for Simplifying Radicals
I typed out the steps for simplifying radicals for my Algebra 2 students to glue in their interactive notebooks. When I had students write out the steps by hand last year, it took WAY too long.
Steps for Simplifying Radicals
- Write the prime factorization of your radicand. (I teach my students to do this using the birthday cake method for prime factorization.)
- Determine the index of the radical. (Vocabulary is important here. I teach radical vocabulary using a parts of the radical graphic organizer.)
- If the index is 2, circle groups of 2 identical numbers or variables. If the index is 3, circle groups of 3 identical numbers or variables, etc.
- The number or variable from each circled group will show up outside the radical symbol 1 time.
- Anything left uncircled will remain under the radical. If everything under the radical symbol is circled, the radical symbol will disappear.
- Multiply the numbers and variables outside the radical together.
Then, we did examples of simplifying radicals in our notebooks.
