Question

Simplify the radical expression 2/32 - 5/2.

A. (√(2) - 5)/2
B. (5 - √(2))/2
C. (√(2) + 5)/2
D. (5 + √(2))/2

Answer 1

To simplify the expression 2/32 - 5/2, find a common denominator and simplify the resulting fraction to -39/16.

Step-by-step explanation:

To simplify the expression, we need to find a common denominator for the fractions 2/32 and 5/2. The smallest number that both 32 and 2 divide evenly into is 32. So, we can rewrite the expression as (2/32) - (5/2) × (16/16). This gives us (2/32) - (80/32) which simplifies to -78/32 or -39/16. Therefore, the simplified radical expression is -39/16.