Question

Express the following surd in simplest form.

`sqrt(96)`

Answer 1

A surd is said to be in its simplest form when the number under the root sign has no square factors.

Given, 

`sqrt(96)`

Prime factors of 96 is 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 3

So, `sqrt(2 xx 2 xx 2 xx 2 xx 2 xx 3)`

= `2 xx 2 sqrt(2 xx 3)`

= `4sqrt(6)`

Thus, the simplest form of `sqrt(96)` is `4sqrt(6)`.