Inactive Tutor answered • 10/27/12
Tutor
New to Wyzant
Hi, Erin.
60 is not a perfect square, so the answer will still include a radical (a square root of some number). We can simplify the square root of any number, though, if the number has any factors that are perfect squares.
As Daniel pointed out, 60 has 4 as a factor, so:
√60 = √(4*15)
= √4 * √15
= 2√15
Note that √15 cannot be simplified further because none of the factors of 15 are perfect squares.
Hope this helps!
