How Do You Rationalize the Denominator to Solve for a+b?

[terryds]

Homework Statement

If ##\sqrt{\frac{10+4\sqrt{6}}{10-4\sqrt{6}}}=a+b\sqrt{6}##, then a+b is ?

A) 8
B) 7
C) 6
D) 5
E) 4

The Attempt at a Solution

[/B]
This is my attempt:
##\sqrt{\frac{10+4\sqrt{6}}{10-4\sqrt{6}}}=\sqrt{\frac{10+4\sqrt{6}*(10+4\sqrt{6})}{10-4\sqrt{6}*(10+4\sqrt{6})}}=\sqrt{\frac{196+80\sqrt{6}}{4}}=\sqrt{49+20\sqrt{6}}##

Then, I got stuck.. I have no idea how to convert to form a+b√6
Please help..

 

[Mark44]

√

Homework Statement

If ##\sqrt{\frac{10+4\sqrt{6}}{10-4\sqrt{6}}}=a+b\sqrt{6}##, then a+b is ?

A) 8
B) 7
C) 6
D) 5
E) 4

The Attempt at a Solution

[/B]
This is my attempt:
##\sqrt{\frac{10+4\sqrt{6}}{10-4\sqrt{6}}}=\sqrt{\frac{10+4\sqrt{6}*(10+4\sqrt{6})}{10-4\sqrt{6}*(10+4\sqrt{6})}}=\sqrt{\frac{196+80\sqrt{6}}{4}}=\sqrt{49+20\sqrt{6}}##

Then, I got stuck.. I have no idea how to convert to form a+b√6
Please help..

Square both sides of your original equation and then rationalize the denominator on the left side.
You should get something like m + n√(6) on one side and r + s√(6) on the other side. You can equate m with r and n with s to get two equations involving a and b.

 

[ehild]

This is my attempt:
##\sqrt{\frac{10+4\sqrt{6}}{10-4\sqrt{6}}}=\sqrt{\frac{10+4\sqrt{6}*(10+4\sqrt{6})}{10-4\sqrt{6}*(10+4\sqrt{6})}}=\sqrt{\frac{196+80\sqrt{6}}{4}}=\sqrt{49+20\sqrt{6}}##

.

You have to use parentheses. The correct form is ##\sqrt{\frac{10+4\sqrt{6}}{10-4\sqrt{6}}}=\sqrt{\frac{(10+4\sqrt{6})*(10+4\sqrt{6})}{(10-4\sqrt{6})*(10+4\sqrt{6})}}##
Is not the numerator the square of something? What is its square root?

 

[terryds]

√
Square both sides of your original equation and then rationalize the denominator on the left side.
You should get something like m + n√(6) on one side and r + s√(6) on the other side. You can equate m with r and n with s to get two equations involving a and b.

Thanks.. a is 5 and b is 2 , so a+b is 7..