Describe the possible values of variable a such that (/72) + (/a) can be simplified to a single term.

Question

Note: (/a) is the square root of a.

Answer 1

√72 + √a
= 6√2 + √a

so, if a is of the form 2n^2

6√2 + √2n^2 = (6+√n^2)√2 = (6+n)√2