How To Calculate The Exact Square Root Value Of A Number

If you have taken Math 53, you would think that you already know how to solve the exact square root
value of a number but actually that lesson is just an approximation if you have listened in class more closely.

x + x

x +
x
2

x
(1)
I will show rst the derivation. First, lets label our variables. Let x be our number to be evaluated and
a, and b be positive integers with the following relationship.

x = a + 0.1b (2)
Manipulating Equation (2),
x = (a + 0.1b)
2
(3)
x = a
2
+ 0.2ab + 0.01b
2
(4)
x a
2
= 0.2ab + 0.01b
2
(5)
x a
2
= 0.01 (20a + b) b (6)
100

x a
2

= (20a + b) b (7)
Now to show how we can use Equation (7), lets use it to an example. Lets say we want to know the
exact square root value of 533.61.
Using Equation (1),

533.61 =

529 + 4.61 (8)

533.61

529 +
4.61
2

529
(9)

533.61 23 +
4.61
2 23
(10)

533.61 23.1002173913043478260869565 (11)

Now, we use a dierent method. We will use Equation (7),

533.61 (12)
First, locate the decimal point then bin x by two decimal places both from left and right sides of the decimal
point.

33.61

(13)
Find the largest squared value, say a
2
, for the rst bin, which is 4 then put it below the rst bin then
subtract and bring down the next bin and put a on of the rst bin.
2 .

33.61

4
1 33 (14)
1
On the side, we multiply a which is 2 by 20 then we add it by a number b and multiply the sum by b.
a 2
20
40
+ b
b
(15)
Now, we think of the largest number for b such that if we subtract the dierence we got from Equation (14)
with what we will have from Equation (15) then we will get a positive value. So b should be 3.
a 2
20
40
+ 3
43
3
129 (16)
Then, we put what we got from Equation (16) to Equation (14) and put b on top of the second bin.
2 3.

33.61

4
1 33
1 29
4 61 (17)
Repeating the process.
2
a 23
20
460
+ 1
461
1
461 (18)
2 3. 1

33.61

4
1 33
1 29
4 61
4 61
0 (19)
Since the dierence is 0 and there is nothing left in x then,

533.61 = 23.1 (20)

Using a calculator, the square root of 533.61 is 23.1. We can see that Equation (20) is correct while Equation
(11) is not exact.
Going back with Equation (7). We binned x by two decimal places due to 100 as a factor of 100(x a
2
)
of Equation (7). Remember that we multiplied a by 20 then we added it by b and multiply it by b this is
due to (20a + b)b of Equation (7).
Now, you can calculate the exact square root value of a number without using a calculator.
{POST SCRIPT} If you are thinking to calculate for the exact cube root of a number, you can do this
by assuming the following relationship.
3

x = a + 0.1b
x = (a + 0.1b)
3
(21)
Using Equation (21) and knowing the drill we did to derive Equation (7), you will see that it would be very
tedious to get the exact cube root value of a number.
3