Reply To: What is best way to teach conceptual understanding of simplifying radicals?

[Kyle Pearce]

You’re so right re: how random it can be. Let’s be honest – we often just show up one day and … BAM! We toss it up on the board.

Something that could be helpful is to start pre-radical in a visual manner. Simplifying with algebra tiles, etc and slowly work your way there.

For example, doing a couple easier problems involving simplifying without radicals … kids get some confidence and then you toss the “what about this one… what do you notice and wonder now?”

It’s like a challenge you’re tossing their way. Sometimes it can be all in how you lead up to it that can affect whether students are interested to poke a stick at it or not…