Help with how to do this equation

[ajk426]

 

[topsquark]

Hint: Rationalize the denominator: [math]\dfrac{8 - \sqrt{27}}{2 \sqrt{3}} = \dfrac{8 - \sqrt{27}}{2 \sqrt{3}} \cdot \dfrac{\sqrt{3}}{\sqrt{3}}[/math]

-Dan

 

[ajk426]

I've done that but I'm not sure where to go from there.

 

[topsquark]

I've done that but I'm not sure where to go from there.

You should have gotten a form that looks like [math]a + b \sqrt{3}[/math] so I don't know where the problem is. Please post what you got.

-Dan

 

[Kansas Boy]

When you multiplied both numerator and denominator by $\sqrt{3}$, what did you get?

 

[Kansas Boy]

Did the problem really say that a and b are real numbers? If so there are infinitely many correct answers. IF the problem had specified "rational number" then there would be a unique answer.