Questions like these are great tools to get better at translations of word problems; there is enough twists and turns in the question to keep you interested till the end.
We have two integers, say x and y.
Sum of the square roots of the two integers = \(\sqrt{x}\) + \(\sqrt{y}\)
Sum of the squares of the two integers =\( x^2\) + \(y^2\)
It is given that \(\sqrt{x}\) +\( \sqrt{y}\) = \(\sqrt{(9+6√2)}\)
The next obvious step is to square both sides to reduce the terms containing roots. Squaring both sides,
x + y + 2\(\sqrt{xy}\) = 9 + 6\(\sqrt{2}\)
We equate the rational parts and irrational parts respectively, giving us,
x + y = 9 and 2\(\sqrt{xy}\) = 6\(\sqrt{2}\)
2\(\sqrt{xy}\) = 6\(\sqrt{2}\) can be simplified to \(\sqrt{xy}\) = 3\(\sqrt{2}\).
Squaring both sides, xy = 9 * 2 = 18.
The only set of values that satisfy x + y = 9 and xy = 18 are 6 and 3. Note that it’s not important as to which one is 6 and which one is 3, since we have to take their sum.
Therefore, \(x^2\) + \(y^2\) = \(6^2\) +\( 3^2\) = 36 + 9 = 45
The correct answer option is C.