- We have already remarked (66), that a number multiplied by itself produces what is called the square of that number. Thus, 169, or 13 × 13, is the square of 13. Conversely, 13 is called the square root of 169, and 5 is the square root of 25; and any number is the square root of another, which when multiplied by itself will produce that other. The square root is signified by the sign
√ or √ ; thus, √25 means the square root of 25, or 5; √16 + 9
means the square root of 16 + 9, and is 5, and must not be confounded with √16 + √9, which is 4 + 3, or 7.
- The following equations are evident from the definition:
√a × √a = a
√aa = a
√ab × √ab = ab
(√a × √b) × (√a × √b) = √a × √a × √b × √b = ab
whence
√a × √b = √ab
- It does not follow that a number has a square root because it has a square; thus, though 5 can be multiplied by itself, there is no number which multiplied by itself will produce 5. It is proved in algebra, that no fraction1 multiplied by itself can produce a whole number, which may be found true in any number of instances; therefore 5 has neither a whole nor a fractional square root; that is, it has no square root at all. Nevertheless, there are methods of finding fractions whose squares shall be as near to 5 as we please, though not exactly equal to it. One of these methods gives ¹⁵¹²⁷/₆₇₆₅, whose square, viz.
| 15127 | × | 15127 | or | 228826129 | , |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6765 | 6765 | 45765225 |
differs from 5 by only ⁴/₄₅₇₆₅₂₂₅, which is less than ·0000001: hence we are enabled to use √5 in arithmetical and algebraical reasoning: but when we come to the practice of any problem, we must substitute for √5 one of the fractions whose square is nearly 5, and on the degree of accuracy we want, depends what fraction is to be used. For some purposes, ¹²³/₅₅ may be sufficient, as its square only differs from 5 by ⁴/₃₀₂₅; for others, the fraction first given might be necessary, or one whose square is even nearer to 5. We proceed to shew how to find the square root of a number, when it has one, and from thence how to find fractions whose squares shall be as near as we please to the number, when it has not. We premise, what is sufficiently evident, that of two numbers, the greater has the greater square; and that if one number lie between two others, its square lies between the squares of those others.