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1.4 Square numbers & square roots

Square numbers
When you multiply a whole number by itself, the answer is called a square number.

The rst ve square numbers are:

1 1 × 1 or 12

4 2 × 2 or 22

9 3 × 3 or 32

16 4 × 4 or 42

25 5 × 5 or 52

Click here for more information about square numbers and here for more information
about index notation.

Print Hotsheet to learn about squaring two-digit numbers in your head!

Click Solutions to check your answers when you have completed the Worksheet.

Square roots

is a radical sign. It means the positive square root of.

The square root of a given number, when multiplied by itself, produces the given
number.

Examples
6 × 6 = 36 therefore =6

9 × 9 = 81 therefore =9

Some exact square roots

=1

=2

=3

=4

=5

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=6

=7

=8

=9

= 10

Use a calculator
Square roots that you cannot write exactly as a whole number, fraction or decimal are
called surds. They are irrational numbers and their decimal places go on forever without
repeating a pattern. You can use a calculator to nd an approximation for these values.

To check for errors, you should always estimate your answer rst using nearby square
numbers.

EXAMPLE
A square has an area of 6 cm2. Calculate the length of its side to two decimal places.

SOLUTION
6 cm2 = side2
One side = cm

Each side is about 2.45 cm long.

Click here to learn more about rounding decimals.

Print Hotsheet for practice in estimating square roots.

Click Solutions to check your answers when you have nished the Worksheet.

Split larger numbers

You can nd some square roots by breaking the number up into square number factors.

EXAMPLE
Find .

SOLUTION
Split 1600 into two square factors, 16 and 100.

Use prime factors

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To nd a square root, break the number into its prime factors and use one factor from each
pair.

EXAMPLE
Find .

SOLUTION
Use a factor tree to write 1225 as a product of its prime factors.

1225 = 5 × 5 × 7 × 7

Take one factor from each repeated pair of factors, then multiply these together to nd the
square root.

Click Widget to see another example.

Print Hotsheet to explore how to nd or estimate square roots of large numbers

without the use of a calculator.

Click Solutions to check your answers when you have completed the Worksheet.

Operations with square roots

Follow the order of operations when working with square roots. Complete calculations
inside brackets before those outside.

Square root signs are similar to brackets. Do any calculations within square root signs
before taking the square root.

EXAMPLE
Find .

SOLUTION
Do the subtraction within the square root sign rst.

= =6

Note: ≠ – ( – = 10 – 8 = 2)

Print Hotsheet to practise applying the order of operations with calculations involving
square roots.

Click Solutions to check your answers when you have completed the Worksheet.

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