Step by step
The question
Question: simplify √15.
√15
1 Find the biggest square number
Square numbers are a number times itself: 2 × 2 = 4, 3 × 3 = 9, and so on.
We list them up to half of 15.
A bigger one can't go in.
Square numbers: 4
We try the biggest first.
Does 4 go into 15?
No.
15 ÷ 4 ✗
No square number goes into 15.
No square number goes into 15.
So √15 is already as simple as it gets.
√15 is already as simple as it gets.
Answer
15 ÷ 4 ✗