How do you rationalize the denominator and simplify the answer #2/(5+sqrt3)#?

1 Answer
Apr 8, 2015

You can clear the radical from the denominator by multiplying by the conjugate of the denominator (remembering that you have to multiply both the numerator and the denominator to avoid changing the value of the expression).

#2/(5+sqrt(3))#

#= 2/(5+sqrt(3)) * (5-sqrt(3))/(5-sqrt(3))#

#= (10 -2sqrt(3))/(25-3)#

#= (5-sqrt(3))/(11)#