Is there formula to easily factorize $7+4 \sqrt{3}$ to $(2+ \sqrt{3} )^2$? [duplicate]

I have recently read some passage about nested radicals, I'm deeply impressed by them. Simple nested radicals $\sqrt{2+\sqrt{2}}$,$\sqrt{3-2\sqrt{2}}$ which the later can be denested into $1-\sqrt{2}$. This may be able to see through easily, but how can we denest such a complicated one $\sqrt{61-24\sqrt{5}}(=4-3\sqrt{5})$? And Is there any ways to judge if a radical in $\sqrt{a+b\sqrt{c}}$ form can be denested?

Mr. Srinivasa Ramanujan even suggested some CRAZY nested radicals such as: $$\sqrt[3]{\sqrt{2}-1},\sqrt{\sqrt[3]{28}-\sqrt[3]{27}},\sqrt{\sqrt[3]{5}-\sqrt[3]{4}}, \sqrt[3]{\cos{\frac{2\pi}{7}}}+\sqrt[3]{\cos{\frac{4\pi}{7}}}+\sqrt[3]{\cos{\frac{8\pi}{7}}},\sqrt[6]{7\sqrt[3]{20}-19},...$$ Amazing, these all can be denested. I believe there must be some strategies to denest them, but I don't know how.

I'm a just a beginner, can anyone give me some ideas? Thank you.

Solution 1:

There do exist general denesting algorithms employing Galois theory, but for the simple case of quadratic algebraic numbers we can employ a simple rule that I discovered as a teenager.

Simple Denesting Rule $\rm \ \ \color{blue}{subtract\ out}\ \sqrt{norm}\:,\ \ then\ \ \color{brown}{divide\ out}\ \sqrt{trace} $

Recall $\rm\: w = a + b\sqrt{n}\: $ has norm $\rm =\: w\:\cdot\: w' = (a + b\sqrt{n})\ \cdot\: (a - b\sqrt{n})\ =\: a^2 - n\, b^2 $

and, $ $ furthermore, $\rm\ w\:$ has $ $ trace $\rm\: =\: w+w' = (a + b\sqrt{n}) + (a - b\sqrt{n})\: =\: 2a$

Here $\:61-24\sqrt{5}\:$ has norm $= 29^2.\:$ $\rm\, \color{blue}{subtracting\ out}\ \sqrt{norm}\ = 29\ $ yields $\ 32-24\sqrt{5}\:$

and this has $\rm\ \sqrt{trace}\: =\: 8,\ \ thus,\ \ \ \color{brown}{dividing \ it \ out}\, $ of this yields the sqrt: $\,\pm( 4\,-\,3\sqrt{5}).$

See here for a simple proof of the rule, and see here for many examples of its use.

Solution 2:

There are the following identities. $$\sqrt{a+\sqrt{b}}=\sqrt{\frac{a+\sqrt{a^2-b}}{2}}+\sqrt{\frac{a-\sqrt{a^2-b}}{2}}$$ and $$\sqrt{a-\sqrt{b}}=\sqrt{\frac{a+\sqrt{a^2-b}}{2}}-\sqrt{\frac{a-\sqrt{a^2-b}}{2}},$$ where all numbers under radicals are non-negatives.

For example: $$\sqrt{5+2\sqrt6}=\sqrt{5+\sqrt{24}}=\sqrt{\frac{5+\sqrt{5^2-24}}{2}}+\sqrt{\frac{5-\sqrt{5^2-24}}{2}}=\sqrt3+\sqrt2.$$ This is interesting, when $a$ and $b$ are rationals and $a^2-b$ is a square of a rational number.

The first identity is true because $$\left(\sqrt{\frac{a+\sqrt{a^2-b}}{2}}+\sqrt{\frac{a-\sqrt{a^2-b}}{2}}\right)^2=$$ $$=\frac{a+\sqrt{a^2-b}}{2}+\frac{a-\sqrt{a^2-b}}{2}+2\sqrt{\frac{a+\sqrt{a^2-b}}{2}}\cdot\sqrt{\frac{a-\sqrt{a^2-b}}{2}}=a+\sqrt{b}.$$