How do I simplify a surd?

Take the number that is in the root sign, and change it to 2 numbers multiplied together (we want one of these numbers to be a square number). A square number is 1, 4, 9, 16 etc. Then separate this into two different surds. One of the surds will be the root of a square number. We can solve this easily as the square root of 4 is 2, and the square root of 9 is 3 and so on. Therefore we can turn this into a normal number (also known as an integer), and this number is mutiplied by another surd (a number in the root sign) We continue using this method until the surd can no longer be made into 2 numbers multiplied together. Then you have your surd simplified, well done!