Chapter 7 : Squares, Cubes

7.1 Squares

7.1.1 Squares of numbers

1. The square of a number is the product of a number when multiplied by itself

Example:

The square of 5 is 5 x 5 = 25

The square of 1/3 is 1/3 x 1/3 = 1/9

The square of -0.4 is (-0.4) x (-0.4) = 0.16

2.The square of a number is written using square notation

3. 62 is read as 6 squared or the square of 6 or 6 to the power of 2

4. The square notation is expanded to obtain the product of the squared number

7.1.2 Determining the squares of numbers

1. The square of a number is calculated by multiplying the number by itself

Example:

7 x 7 = 49

2. Before calculating the square of a mixed number, change the mixed number
into an improper fraction

Example 7.1

a. 132

b. (−60)2

c. 0.0112
3
d. (1 8)2
7.1.3 Estimating the square of numbers

Method 1:

• Round off the number to the nearest whole number ( nearest tenth for
decimals in the range -1 < 𝑥 < 1 )
• Then, calculate the square of that number

Method 2

• Determine the range of the square of that number

• If the estimated answer is in the range , then it is an acceptable answer

7.1.4 Determining if a number is a perfect square

1. A number is a perfect square when it is a product of two same whole numbers

2. To determine whether a given number is a perfect square , find all the prime
factors of the perfect square.

7.2 Cube of numbers

1. The cube of number is the product of the number multiplied by itself thrice

2. Write the cube of a number using the cube symbol or notation

7.2.1 Determining the cubes of numbers

Example :

a. (−0.4)3
1
b. (1 4)3

Alert!!

The cube of any positive number is positive

43 = 4 x 4 x 4 = 64

The cube of a negative number is negative

(−5)3 = -5 x -5 x -5 = -125
7.3 Square roots

7.3.1 Square roots of numbers

1. The square root of a positive number is a number which , when multiplied by

itself , equals the given positive number

Example:

What is the square root of 25?

The square root of 25 is 5 because when 5 is multiplied by itself , the product is

equivalent to 25

5 x 5 = 25

The square root of 25 is 5

2. The symbol for square root is √

Example:

The square root of 25 is denoted as √25

√25 = 5

7.3.2 Determining the square roots of positive numbers without using calculator

1. The square root of a fraction is determined and finding the square roots of
the numerator and denominator separately

Example

16 √16 4 1
√64 = = =2
√64 8

2. Some fractions must be reduced to fractions with their numerators and

denominators being perfect squares before their square roots can be
calculated.

Example:

50 √25 5
√ = =
98 √49 7

3. To find the square root of a mixed number , first change the mixed number
to improper fraction

Example:
 17 √81 9 1
√1 64 = = = 18
√64 8

4. The square roots of certain decimals are obtained by first changing the
decimals into fractions with their numerators and denominators as perfect
squares

24 √81 9
√3.24 = √3 100 = = 5 = 1.8
√25

Alert !!!!

If x is a positive number , then √𝑥 2 = 𝑥

If x and y are positive numbers then work out the square roots of denominator
and numerator separately

𝑥 √𝑥
√𝑦 =
√𝑦