Nested radical

In algebra, a nested radical is a radical expression (one which gives

containing a square root sign, cube root sign, etc.) that
contains (nests) another radical expression. Examples in-
clude d = a − e,

√ e = a − d.
√
5−2 5,
For the irrational parts note that
which arises in discussing the regular pentagon, and more
complicated ones such as
√ √
b c = 2 de,
√
3 √ √
3 and squaring both sides yields
2+ 3+ 4.

1 Denesting nested radicals b2 c = 4de.

By plugging in a − d for e one obtains

Some nested radicals can be rewritten in a form that is not
nested. For example,

b2 c = 4(a − d)d = 4ad − 4d2 .

√
√ √
3 + 2 2 = 1 + 2, Rearranging terms will give a quadratic equation which
√ can be solved for d using the quadratic formula:
√ √ √
5 + 2 6 = 2 + 3,
√ √ √
3 √ 1− 32+ 34
3
2−1= √3
. 4d2 − 4ad + b2 c = 0,
9
Rewriting a nested radical in this way is called denesting. √
a± a2 − b2 c
This process is generally considered a difficult problem, d= .
2
although a special class of nested radical can be denested
by assuming it denests into a sum of two surds: Since a = d+e, the solution e is the algebraic conjugate of
d. If we set
√ √
√ √
a ± b c = d ± e. √
a+ a2 − b2 c
d= ,
Squaring both sides of this equation yields: 2
then
√ √
a ± b c = d + e ± 2 de.
√
This can be solved by finding two numbers such that their a− a2 − b2 c
e= .
sum is equal to a and their product is b2 c/4, or by equating 2
coefficients of like terms—setting rational and irrational
parts on both sides of the equation equal to each other. However,
√ this√approach works for √nested radicals of the
The solutions for e and d can be obtained by first equating form a ± b c if and only if a2 − b2 c is a rational
the rational parts: number, in which case the nested radical can be denested
into a sum of surds.
In some cases, higher-power radicals may be needed to
a = d + e, denest the nested radical.

1
2 4 INFINITELY NESTED RADICALS

1.1 Some identities of Ramanujan 3 In the solution of the cubic equa-

Srinivasa Ramanujan demonstrated a number of curious
tion
identities involving denesting of radicals. Among them
are the following:[1] Nested radicals appear in the algebraic solution of the
cubic equation. Any cubic equation can be written in sim-
plified form without a quadratic term, as
√ √ √
4 4 ( √ √ √ )
4 3 + 2 5 5+1
√ = √ = 1
3 +
4
5 + 5 +
4
125 , 3
3−245 4
5−1 2 x + px + q = 0,

√ whose general solution for one of the roots is

√ √ (√ √ )
28 − 27 = 1
98 − 28 − 1 ,
3 3 3 3
3
√ √ √ √
√√ 3 q q2 p3 3 q q2 p3
√ √ √ √ x= − + + + − − + .
3 32 27 1 3 9 2 4 27 2 4 27
− −
5 5 5 5 5
= + ,
5 5 25 25 25
In the case in which the cubic has only one real root, the
real root is given by this expression with the radicands of
√ √ √ √ √
the cube roots being real and with the cube roots being
2 − 1 = 9 − 9 + 9. 3 4 [2]
3 3 3 1 3 2

the real cube roots. In the case of three real roots, the
square root expression is an imaginary number; here any
Other odd-looking radicals inspired by Ramanujan in- real root is expressed by defining the first cube root to be
clude: any specific complex cube root of the complex radicand,
and by defining the second cube root to be the complex
conjugate of the first one. The nested radicals in this solu-
√ √
4 √ 4 √ √ tion cannot in general be simplified unless the cubic equa-
49 + 20 6 + 49 − 20 6 = 2 3, tion has at least one rational solution. Indeed, if the cubic
has three irrational but real solutions, we have the casus
√( √ √
irreducibilis, in which all three real solutions are written
√ √ )( √ ) ( √ √ ) − 5 of
13terms 6 cube roots of complex numbers. On the other
3
2 + 3 5 − 6 + 3 2 3 + 3 2 = 10 − in √ .
5 + consider
hand, 6 the equation

1.2 Landau’s algorithm x3 − 7x + 6 = 0,

which has the rational solutions 1, 2, and —3. The gen-
In 1989 Susan Landau introduced the first algorithm for
eral solution formula given above gives the solutions
deciding which nested radicals can be denested.[3] Earlier
algorithms worked in some cases but not others.
√ √ √ √
3 10 3i 3 10 3i
x = −3 + + −3 − .
9 9
2 In trigonometry For any given choice of cube root and its conjugate, this
contains nested radicals involving complex numbers, yet
Main article: Exact trigonometric constants it is reducible (even though not obviously so) to one of the
solutions 1, 2, or –3.
In trigonometry, the sines and cosines of many angles can
be expressed in terms of nested radicals. For example,
4 Infinitely nested radicals
[ √ ]
π √ √ √ √ 4.1√ Square roots
sin = sin 3◦ = 1
16 2(1 − 3) 5 + 5 + 2( 5 − 1)( 3 + 1)
60
Under certain conditions infinitely nested square roots
and such as

√ √ √
√ √ √
π √ √ √
sin = sin 7.5◦ = 1
2 2 − 2 + 3 = 21 2 − 1+
√ 3. x
2
= 2+ 2+ 2 + 2 + ···
24
4.2 Cube roots 3

represent rational numbers. This rational number can be

found by realizing that x also appears under the radical √ √
√
sign, which gives the equation 3 = 1 + 2 1 + 3 1 + · · ·.

Ramanujan stated the following infinite radical denesting

√
x = 2 + x. in his lost notebook:

If we solve this equation, we find that x = 2 (the second v

u v v
solution x = −1 doesn't apply, under the convention that u u u √
u u u √ √ √ √
the positive square root is meant). This approach can also u u
be used to show that generally, if n > 0, then t5 + t5 + 5 − 5 + 5 + 5 + √5 − · · · = 2 + 5 + 15 − 6
t
2

√ √ The repeating pattern of the signs is (+, +, −, +).

√ √
√ ( )
n+ n + n + n + ··· = 1
2 1 + 1 + 4n
4.1.2 Viète’s expression for pi
and is the positive root of the equation x2 − x − n = 0. For
n = 1, this root is the golden ratio φ, approximately equal Viète’s formula for pi, the ratio of a circle’s circumference
to 1.618. The same procedure also works to obtain to its diameter, is

√ √
√ √ √ √ √ √
√ √ 2 2 2+ 2 2+ 2+ 2
√ ( ) = · · ··· .
n− n − n − n − ··· = 1
2 −1 + 1 + 4n , π 2 2 2

which is the positive root of the equation x2 + x − n = 0. 4.2 Cube roots

4.1.1 Ramanujan’s infinite radicals In certain cases, infinitely nested cube roots such as

Ramanujan posed the following problem to the Journal √ √ √

of Indian Mathematical Society: 3 3 3 √
x= 6+ 6+ 6 + 3 6 + ···

√ √ can represent rational numbers as well. Again, by realiz-

√
?= 1 + 2 1 + 3 1 + · · ·. ing that the whole expression appears inside itself, we are
left with the equation
This can be solved by noting a more general formulation:
√
x = 3 6 + x.
√ √ √
? = ax + (n + a)2 + x a(x + n) + (n + a)2 + (x +Ifn)we ·solve
· ·. this equation, we find that x = 2. More gener-
ally, we find that
Setting this to F(x) and squaring both sides gives us
√ √
√
√ 3 3 √
n + 3 n + ···
3
√
n + n +
F (x) = ax+(n+a) +x a(x + n) + (n + a)2 + (x + n) · · ·,
2 2

is a real root of the equation x3 − x − n = 0 for all n > 0.

which can be simplified to
For n = 1, this root is the plastic number ρ, approximately
equal to 1.3247.
F (x)2 = ax + (n + a)2 + xF (x + n). The same procedure also works to get

It can then be shown that √ √ √

3 3 √
n− n − n − 3 n − ···
3

F (x) = x + n + a.
as the real root of the equation x3 + x − n = 0 for all n >
So, setting a = 0, n = 1, and x = 2, we have 0.
4 6 REFERENCES

4.3 Convergence • Decreasing the Nesting Depth of Expressions In-

volving Square Roots
The value obtained for the infinite nested radical by con-
verting to a polynomial equation and solving is valid only • Simplifying Square Roots of Square Roots
if the sequence of values, obtained by successively nest- • Weisstein, Eric W. “Square Root”. MathWorld.
ing more and more radicals, converges. For example, the
above-considered expression
• Weisstein, Eric W. “Nested Radical”. MathWorld.

√ √ √
√
n− n− n − n − · · ·,

if convergent, is the limiting value of the process

√
xt+1 = n − xt ,
√
starting from the initial value n. We have

dxt+1 −1
= √ .
dxt 2 n − xt

Convergence requires that the absolute value of this ex-

pression be less than 1 in the neighborhood of the value
of x given earlier that satisfies the corresponding polyno-
mial equation. It turns out that this condition is that n
> 3/4, which holds if, for example, we require the posi-
tive number n to be an integer. Then √ it is sufficient for
convergence that the initial value n be in the basin of
attraction of the indicated stationary value of x.

5 See also
• Sum of radicals

• Spiral of Theodorus

6 References
[1] Landau, Susan (1993). “A note on 'Zippel Denesting'".
CiteSeerX 10.1.1.35.5512 .

[2] Landau, Susan. “RADICALS AND UNITS IN RA-

MANUJAN'S WORK” (PostScript).

[3] Landau, Susan (1992). “Simplification of Nested

Radicals”. Journal of Computation. SIAM.
21: 85–110. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.34.2003 .
doi:10.1109/SFCS.1989.63496.

6.1 Further reading

• Landau, Susan (1994). “How to Tangle with a
Nested Radical”. Mathematical Intelligencer. 16:
49–55. doi:10.1007/bf03024284.
 5

7 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

7.1 Text
• Nested radical Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nested_radical?oldid=747606838 Contributors: Michael Hardy, Silverfish, Charles
Matthews, Joy, Phil Boswell, Tea2min, TheMaestro, Tomruen, Lemontea, Blotwell, Woohookitty, Rjwilmsi, KFP, Aftermath, Tetracube,
Mets501, Cryptic C62, CBM, Doctormatt, Us38, Futurebird, David Eppstein, Warut, VolkovBot, Pasixxxx, Anonymous Dissident,
Mike4ty4, SieBot, Phe-bot, T-rithy, Addbot, AnomieBOT, Twri, LilHelpa, Isheden, Sspawarwiki, E-sinhe, Mikhail Ryazanov, Ts123ize,
Pintoch, Gfhjhf, Vahid alpha, Loraof and Anonymous: 28

7.2 Images
• File:Lock-green.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg License: CC0 Contributors: en:File:
Free-to-read_lock_75.svg Original artist: User:Trappist the monk
• File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg License:
CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: This file was derived from Wiki letter w.svg: <a href='//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:
Wiki_letter_w.svg' class='image'><img alt='Wiki letter w.svg' src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/Wiki_
letter_w.svg/50px-Wiki_letter_w.svg.png' width='50' height='50' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/
Wiki_letter_w.svg/75px-Wiki_letter_w.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/Wiki_letter_w.svg/
100px-Wiki_letter_w.svg.png 2x' data-file-width='44' data-file-height='44' /></a>
Original artist: Derivative work by Thumperward

7.3 Content license

• Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0