Answer the following questions on the idea of rationalising a denominator.
MATHEMATICS · Multi-part · AoPS · Mathematics · Special Factorizations · Special Factorizations
Problem
Answer the following questions on the idea of rationalising a denominator.
(a) What is meant by “rationalising the denominator” of a fraction that contains a square root?
(b) Describe, step by step, how you would change the denominator of m1 (where m is a positive integer that is not a perfect square) so that it becomes a rational number.
(c) In the process you described in part (b), you multiply the fraction by a certain form of 1. Explain why this multiplication does not change the value of the original fraction.