Square Roots of Squares

[baily106]

Hello,

What is the square root of (x squared plus y squared)?
I know that you can't separate x squared and y squared since it is addition so would you factor it out and then try to take the square root?

Thanks.

[tommywallach]

Hey Baily,

Yeah, there is no square root of that (not as some kind of shortcut). Did this appear in some kind of question that you're curious about? If so, please feel free to post it on here, so we can see it in context.

-t

[baily106]

I had seen it on the internet. In understanding square roots, the general rule is that you can separate variables if it is multiplication and division, but not if it is subtraction or division correct? So in this case, would it become (x^2 +2xy+y^2)^1/2?
Thanks.

[tommywallach]

Hey Baily,

Technically yes, but that's not a simplification. Really, the answer is there's NOTHING to be done. (There's no reason to FOIL it out and then describe the square root of that).

-t

[baily106]

Ok, thank you.

[tommywallach]

Np!