# N8b – Surds

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Prerequisites

# A starting point

Drag down the slider on the right, answering each question as you go.

# Part 1 – Simplifying expressions involving surds

Teacher resources for Part 1

• Slides in PPTX (with click-to-reveal answers)
• Slides in PDF (one slide per page, suitable for importing into IWB software)
• Worksheet (with space for student work)
• Handout (slides with exercises only; 4 per page for reduced printing)
Links to past exam and UKMT questions

#### Geoboard activity

• By creating a square with an area of 2 square units and another square with an area of 8 square units, show that $$\sqrt{8}=2\sqrt{2}$$.
• Can you create two squares to help illustrate that $$\sqrt{18}=3\sqrt{2}$$?
• Can you create two squares to help illustrate that $$\sqrt{20}=2\sqrt{5}$$?
Unlimited practice questions: simplifying surds
With thanks to pirsquared, whose Surds worksheet is available here. Material modified and embedded here under the CC-BY-SA 3.0 license.

# Part 2 – Rationalising denominators

Teacher resources for Part 2

• Slides in PPTX (with click-to-reveal answers)
• Slides in PDF (one slide per page, suitable for importing into IWB software)
• Worksheet (with space for student work)
• Handout (slides with exercises only; 4 per page for reduced printing)