How To Estimate Square Root of a

Number?--for school students

Srinivasan Nenmeli Ph D

This article is a "how to" tutorial
on estimating the square root of any
number in a few seconds!
Well, you can use your calculator and get
the square root. But you don't need a
calculator for quick estimation.Further
this estimation method will teach you some
basic math techniques along the way!!
The Method:
First Estimate
Suppose you want to find the square root of 7.


Choose two numbers, one lower and one higher
than 7, whose square roots you already know:
For example,choose 4 and 9, because
sq root of 4 = 2
sq root of 9 = 3
Therefore the square root of 7 must lie between
2 and 3.
Take the first estimate for sq root of 7 as the
average of 2 and 3 : (2 +3)/2 = 2.5
The first estimate of sq root of 7 is 2.5.
But 2.5 x 2.5 = 6.25, much less than 7.
Let us improve this with second estimate.
[The method we used for the first estimate is
called "bisection method" in 'Numerical
Analysis".]
Second Estimate
For second estimate, we use a powerful method


due to "Hero" of Alexandria--a Greek
mathematician, inventor and a great scientist in
those days. Hero is credited with making toys
with steam and door openers steam operated for
Greek temples!!
Our 'Hero' gave a simple method to estimate
square root ,starting with a rough estimate.
The first estimate was 2.5.
Now take the given number and divide by this
estimate:
7/2.5 = 2. 8
[You can use long division to get this
result.]
Now Hero says that you take the average of 2.5
and 2.8
as the next estimate: (2.5 + 2.8)/2 = 5.3/ 2 =
2.65


This is a pretty good estimate, because:
2.65 x 2.65 = 7.0225
This is pretty close to 7 and can be taken as
the best
estimate so far. But we can do still better.
Third estimate
Let us use the "Hero's method " again.
Our second estimate for sq root of 7 is: 2.65
Find 7/2.65 = 2.6415
Take the average of 2.65 and 2.6415:
(2.65 + 2.6415)/2 = 2.64575
What is the square of 2.64575? :
2.64575 x 2.64575 = 7.000018
Hey! This is almost seven, rounded to four
decimal
places!!
Our best estiamte for sq root of 7: 2.64575.


We can stop here with our estimation trials.
Note that we have used Hero's method twice!
This is called 'iterative procedure'.
HERO's Formula
To fix in your mind, the 'iterative formula'
for Hero's method to find square root of a
number N is:
x' = ( x + N/x)/2
If X is an estimate, x' is the next best
estimate. Again
use x' in the formula and get the third
estimate:
x" = (x' + N/x')/2
This is the procedure we followed to find the
square
root of 7.
[Note: Most probably your pocket calculator or


your
computer would be using the same procedure as
Hero's
method or some similar 'algorithm'.
What is the meaning of "algorithm"? Find out!!]
Exercise
1 Find the square root of 11.[Hint : start with
(3+4)/2 = 3.5]
2 Find the square root of 21.
[Note: Read my article on "Hero of Alexandria"
in
www.scribd.com ]
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