Conjugate (algebra)
This article is about binomial conjugates in algebra. For other uses, see Conjugate (disambiguation).
In algebra, a conjugate is a binomial formed by negating the second term of a binomial. The conjugate of x + y is x − y, where x and y are real numbers. If y is imaginary, the process is termed complex conjugation: the complex conjugate of a + bi is a − bi, where a and b are real.
Differences of squares
Main article: Difference of two squares
In a commutative ring, an expression of the form
can be factored to give
where one factor is the conjugate of the other. This can be useful when trying to rationalize a denominator containing radicals.
See also
External links
- Rationalizing the Denominator from Mathwords.com
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