Adding or subtracting square roots requires the radicals to be:
APerfect squares
BNegative radicands
CRational exponents
DLike radicals
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. Like radicals
1. Radicals combine only when they match.
2. Square root terms cannot simply be added term by term.
3. Adding or subtracting square roots requires like radicals.
4. Simplifying first can reveal like radicals that were hidden.
_Source: OpenStax Elementary Algebra 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 9 'Roots and Radicals', sections 9.1-9.8_
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