(2)解:$\because a + 4\sqrt{3}=(m + n\sqrt{3})^{2},$
$\therefore a + 4\sqrt{3}=m^{2}+3n^{2}+2mn\sqrt{3}。$
$\therefore a=m^{2}+3n^{2},$$2mn = 4,$于是$mn = 2。$
$\because m,$$n$均为正整数,$\therefore m = 1,$$n = 2$或$m = 2,$$n = 1。$
$\therefore a=1^{2}+3\times2^{2}=13$或$a=2^{2}+3\times1^{2}=7。$
$\therefore a$的值为13或7。
(3)解:原式$=\sqrt{5 + 2\sqrt{5}+1}=\sqrt{(\sqrt{5})^{2}+2\times\sqrt{5}\times1 + 1^{2}}$
$=\sqrt{(\sqrt{5}+1)^{2}}=\sqrt{5}+1。$