Math  /  Numbers & Operations

QuestionSimplify. 72\sqrt{72} \square \sqrt{\square}
Square root

Studdy Solution

STEP 1

What is this asking? We need to simplify the square root of 7272. Watch out! Don't forget to find the *largest* perfect square that divides 7272!

STEP 2

1. Find the prime factorization of 7272.
2. Simplify the square root.

STEP 3

Let's **break down** 7272 into its **prime factors**!
We can start by dividing by **22** since 7272 is even: 72=23672 = 2 \cdot 36.

STEP 4

Now, look at 3636.
It's also even, so we can divide by 22 again: 36=21836 = 2 \cdot 18.
So far, we have 72=221872 = 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 18.

STEP 5

1818 is also even! 18=2918 = 2 \cdot 9.
Now we have 72=222972 = 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 9.

STEP 6

99 is 333 \cdot 3, so our **prime factorization** is 72=2223372 = 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 2 \cdot 3 \cdot 3, or 23322^3 \cdot 3^2.
Awesome!

STEP 7

Now, let's **rewrite** 72\sqrt{72} using our prime factorization: 72=2332\sqrt{72} = \sqrt{2^3 \cdot 3^2}.

STEP 8

Remember, ab=ab\sqrt{a \cdot b} = \sqrt{a} \cdot \sqrt{b}, so we can write 2332=2332\sqrt{2^3 \cdot 3^2} = \sqrt{2^3} \cdot \sqrt{3^2}.

STEP 9

We can **rewrite** 232^3 as 2222^2 \cdot 2, so we have 23=222=222=22\sqrt{2^3} = \sqrt{2^2 \cdot 2} = \sqrt{2^2} \cdot \sqrt{2} = 2\sqrt{2}.

STEP 10

And 32=3\sqrt{3^2} = 3.

STEP 11

Putting it all together, we get 72=223=62\sqrt{72} = 2\sqrt{2} \cdot 3 = 6\sqrt{2}.
We've **simplified** our square root!

STEP 12

626\sqrt{2}

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