Question

What order should you simplify like terms in? E.g.
`16-4√(5) -4√(5) +5` A video said to Simplify the numbers first as they will be positive?

But in
`6+3√(5) +2√(5)+5` You simplify the surds first.

Answer 1

It does not matter, since, from your second case,
`5\sqrt5 +11 = 11+5\sqrt5`.

In general is a matter of personal preference but in general I like to start with a positive number (I like
`\sqrt2 -1` more than
`-1+\sqrt2` since if there's an equal sign before I'm guaranteed to have the two signs mesh together in a few steps).

If everything you are adding together is positive, I just go first come first served and pick a new term in order it appears in the previous passage.