Math Is Fun Forum

Leibgrangian

Guest

square root algorithm

Hi, is there any algorithm, other than the guess method, that can give me a exact (or approximate) answer to a square root?

I use google but I couldn't find anything.......

thx

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: square root algorithm

Hi Leibgrangian;

Welcome to the forum. That is a difficult question really. In Numerical Analysis guessing is quite common.

One way of guessing at is to divide the number into 2 piecet that are as close together as possible. For instance:

Now take the average of the two numbers.

This approximation will always greater than or equal to the square root of 30. In this case the square root of 2 is:

So the estimate is pretty good.

There are many other ways. What are you working on? If I knew that then I could advise you a bit better.

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In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

soroban

Member

Registered: 2007-03-09

Posts: 452

Re: square root algorithm

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leibgrangian

Guest

Re: square root algorithm

hi, thank you all for taking the time to reply. it has been extremely useful. i have never heard of these methods before!

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: square root algorithm

Hi;

There are more, plenty more.

---

In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

Howardroark

Member

Registered: 2010-10-10

Posts: 382

Re: square root algorithm

Hi leibgrangian,

This one is simple..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methods_of_computing_square_roots
Refer decimal(base 10)

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I come from a civilization which has given the world the number 0..