Square Root Notation

Date: 11/14/2001 at 22:44:22
From: Jacot Ramirez
Subject: Square roots

Where do you write the answer to a square root?

Date: 11/15/2001 at 08:59:27
From: Doctor Peterson
Subject: Re: Square roots

Hi, Jacob.

If you are simply stating the answer, you will write it as an 
equation, using the radical symbol merely as a notation that says you 
are taking the square root:
      ___
    \/ 9  = 3

There is one way to calculate a root in which you treat the radical 
sign as a device for calculating similar to the long division 
notation:

      __3__4_
    \/ 11 56
        9
       --
 6?*?   2 56
 64*4 = 2 56
        ----
           0

Here you write the answer above, with one digit over each pair of 
digits in the "radicand." But you only do this when you are using this 
method.

You can read about this method in the Dr. Math archives:

   Longhand Square Roots
   http://mathforum.org/dr.math/problems/tim3.30.98.html   

- Doctor Peterson, The Math Forum
  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/