What Are Surds?
Ever wondered why some square roots just won't turn into neat numbers? That's exactly what surds are - square roots that refuse to become rational numbers (whole numbers or fractions).
Take √2 or √5 - these are perfect examples of surds because they can't be simplified further. However, √81 might look like a surd at first glance, but it actually equals 9, so it's not a real surd.
The key to simplifying surds is hunting for square number factors. For example, with √20, you'd spot that 4 is a factor of 20 and 4 is a perfect square. This means √20 = √(4 × 5) = √4 × √5 = 2√5.
Quick Tip: Always look for the largest square number that divides into your number - it'll save you time and effort!
