I saw this  on Reddit and it had the following comment     √x²=|x|   It's the principle square root solution. So the square root of 49 is 7. It's the definition of square root.   However the equation x²=7² has two solutions +7 &amp; -7   Only because x²=7² --> x²-7²=0 --> (x+7)(x-7)=0 -->x= ±7   That's the difference between the two.   Here's an intuitive example to understand that:   y²=x is not the same as y=√x   On plotting the points the first equation will result in a complete parabola whereas, in the second equation it would make a half parabola because the function is defined in such a way.     Is this reasoning right? Because as far as I can remember we always wrote the value of a square root in ± form
6221
It is perhaps a bit embarrassing that while doing higher-level math, I have forgot some more fundamental concepts. I would like to ask whether the square root of a number includes both the positive and the negative square roots.  I know that for an equation $x^2 = 9$, the solution is $x = \pm 3$. But if simply given $\sqrt{9}$, does one assume that to mean only the positive root? And when simply talking about the square root of a number in general, would one be referring to both roots or just the positive one, when neither is specified?
3832
How $\sqrt{x}$ can be a function when $\sqrt{4}$ is equal to $-2$ and $2$?
113034
How to show that a root of the equation $$x (x+1)(x+2) ....... (x+2009) = c $$ can have multiplicity at most 2 , and to find the value of $ c $   for which this is possible.  I proceeded by using the derivative method, but the number of terms involved is huge.I have been trying to find some common property for all these terms, but I've come up with nothing so far.
910
I stumbled across this relationship while I was messing around. What's the proof, and how do I understand it intuitively? It doesn't really make sense to me that the sum of odd numbers up to $2x + 1$ should equal $x^2$.
52743
When solving different equations, I have realised, that some roots containing only arithmetic operations and square roots (4th, 8th roots too, because they can be represented using only square roots) can be converted to nested square roots form. Examples (these are roots of equations of 2nd, 4th, 4th and 8th degree): $$\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}=\sqrt{5+\sqrt{24}}$$ $$\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}+\sqrt{6}=\sqrt{15+\sqrt{160+\sqrt{6912+\sqrt{18874368}}}}$$ $$1+\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}+\sqrt{6}=\sqrt{21+\sqrt{413+\sqrt{4656+\sqrt{16588800}}}}$$ $$\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}+\sqrt{5}=\sqrt{14+\sqrt{140+\sqrt{4096+\sqrt{8847360}}}}$$ However, I have failed to convert to such form following root (8th degree equation): $$3+\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}+\sqrt{5}$$ Performing any operations with it, number of square roots inside increases, what makes me think that converting that root is impossible.  So, question: Can it be done with that root and with what roots in general?  Some forms I was able to get: $$\sqrt{19+6 \sqrt{2}+6 \sqrt{3}+6 \sqrt{5}+2 \sqrt{6}+2 \sqrt{10}+2 \sqrt{15}}$$ $$\sqrt{19+2\left(\sqrt{33+6 \sqrt{30}}+\sqrt{37+6 \sqrt{30}}+\sqrt{51+6 \sqrt{30}}\right)}$$  If one don't know how I got those expressions, here you are an example.  $$\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}+\sqrt{5}=\sqrt{\left(\sqrt{2}+\sqrt{3}+\sqrt{5}\right)^2}=$$ $$=\sqrt{10+2 \left(\sqrt{15}+\sqrt{6}+\sqrt{10}\right)}=\sqrt{10+2 \left(\sqrt{15}+\sqrt{\left(\sqrt{6}+\sqrt{10}\right)^2}\right)}=$$ $$=\sqrt{10+2 \left(\sqrt{15}+\sqrt{16+4 \sqrt{15}}\right)}=\sqrt{10+2 \left(\sqrt{15}-a+a+\sqrt{16+4 \sqrt{15}}\right)}=$$ $$=\sqrt{10+2a+2 \left(\sqrt{\left(\sqrt{15}-a\right)^2}+\sqrt{16+4 \sqrt{15}}\right)}=$$ $$=\sqrt{10+2a+2 \left(\sqrt{15+a^2-2a \sqrt{15}}+\sqrt{16+4 \sqrt{15}}\right)}=$$ $$[2a=4 \Rightarrow a=2]$$ $$=\sqrt{14+2 \left(\sqrt{19-4\sqrt{15}}+\sqrt{16+4 \sqrt{15}}\right)}=$$ $$=\sqrt{14+2 \sqrt{\left(\sqrt{19-4\sqrt{15}}+\sqrt{16+4 \sqrt{15}}\right)^2}}=$$ $$=\sqrt{14+2 \sqrt{35+4 \sqrt{16+3 \sqrt{15}}}}=\sqrt{14+\sqrt{140+\sqrt{4096+\sqrt{8847360}}}}$$
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I know  that uses $x={\sqrt{2}}^{\sqrt{2}}$ to prove that there must exist an irrational to an irrational power that evaluates to a rational. But I don't know if $x$ itself is known to be irrational or rational.  Could someone enlighten me? Thanks!
67859
I'd like to characterise the functions that ‘have square roots’ in the function composition sense. That is, can a given function $f$ be written as $f = g \circ g$ (where $\circ$ is function composition)?  For instance, the function $f(x) = x+10$ has a square root $g(x) = x+5$.  Similarly, the function $f(x) = 9x$ has a square root $g(x) = 3x$.  I don't know if the function $f(x) = x^2 + 1$ has a square root, but I couldn't think of any.  Is there a way to determine which functions have square roots? To keep things simpler, I'd be happy just to consider functions $f: \mathbb R \to \mathbb R$.
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I am aware that 1/0 is undefined for two reasons:   If you would have to give an answer to this it is infinity which is not a number but a concept; The limit of 1/x for $x \to 0$ is either positive or negative infinity and since it has two limits we cannot state what its exact value is   How can we use this for square roots? It has multiple answers so why do we pick the positive one? if $x^2 = 16 \implies x = \sqrt{16} $ or $x = -\sqrt{16}$ for respectively the positive and negative solution. This implies that the square root function has a single answer and we must negate its answer to obtain the second solution. I understand this is extremely practical but it feels like 'cheating' since we know that there are 2 solutions, but in the function we simply ignore one of them. Is this correct?
4939
If $p$ is a prime number, then $\sqrt{p}$ is irrational.  I know that this question has been asked but I just want to make sure that my method is clear. My method is as follows:  Let us assume that the square root of the prime number $p$ is rational. Hence we can write $\sqrt{p} = \frac{a}{b}$. (In their lowest form.) Then $p = \frac{a^2}{b^2}$, and so $p b^2 = a^2$. Hence $p$ divides $a^2$, so $p$ divides $a$. Substitute $a$ by $pk$. Find out that $p$ divides $b$. Hence this is a contradiction as they should be relatively prime, i.e., gcd$(a,b)=1$.
11931
I need to calculate the SQRT of  $x$ to $y$ decimal places. I'm dealing with $128$-bit precision, giving a limit of $28$ decimal places. Obviously, if $\,y &gt; 28$, the , which I'm currently using, becomes futile, as it simply doesn't offer $y$ decimal places.  My question to you is, can I calculate the Square Root digit-by-digit? For example, calculating the $n$-th digit, assuming I already have digit $\,n - 1$. I'm well aware this may be impossible, as I've not found any such method through Google yet, just checking here before I give up in search of arbitrary precision methods.
49584
I used the method of contradiction by assuming that $\sqrt 2$ is a rational number. Then, by the definition of rational number, there exist two integers $p$ and $q$ whose ratio equals $\sqrt 2$. Thus, $$\frac pq = \sqrt2\tag{x}$$  Squaring both sides, $$p^2/q^2 = 2\tag{a}$$  or $$p^2 = 2q^2\tag{b}$$ This means that $p^2$ is an even number, implying that $p$ is even.  Now, any even integer can be written as $2^kf$ where $f$ is any odd integer and $k$ is some positive integer (the minimum value of $k$ and $f$ is $1$ since even numbers start from $2 = 2^1\cdot1$). For odd numbers, $k=0$.  For example, $8 = 2^3 \cdot 1$, $4= 2^2 \cdot 1$, $18= 2^1 \cdot 9$, $24 = 2^3 \cdot 3$, $-12= 2^2 \cdot(-3)$, etc.  Now, from $(b)$, $q^2$ can be even or odd.  Case 1: $q^2$ is even (thus meaning $q$ is even). Then $p= 2^{k_1} \cdot f_1$ (say) and $q = 2^{k_2} * f_2$ (say). Note here in this case, both conditions $k_1=k_2$ and $f_1=f_2$ can't hold simultaneously since that would mean $p/q =1$ and here $p/q =\sqrt2$ (from $(x)$)). Let's consider the condition when $k_1=k_2=k$ but $f_1\ne f_2$. Then $$\frac{p^2}{q^2}=\frac{(2^kf_1)^2}{(2^kf_2)^2} = \frac{f_1^2}{f_2^2} =2$$ (from $(a)$), i.e.: odd/odd ($f_1$ and $f_2$ are odd) can never equal $2$.  Now lets consider $f_1=f_2=f$ but $k_1\ne k_2$, thus $(2^{k_1}f)^2/(2^{k_2}f)^2= 2^{2(k_1-k_2)}= 2$ meaning $k_1 - k_2 = 0.5$ but $k_1,k_2$ are integers, so their difference can't be $0.5$. (Also here, $k_1-k_2$ must be greater or equal to $1$ since $2^{k_1-k_2}=\sqrt 2$, $k_1-k_2$ can't be negative since $\sqrt 2&gt;1$, but $k_1-k_2\ge1$ can't satisfy $(a)$ since the minimum value of $p/q$ in this case will be $2$ which is surely greater than $\sqrt2$.)  Now lets consider $f_1\ne f_2$ and $k_1\ne k_2$, thus $\frac{(2^{k_1} f_1)^2}{(2^{k_2} f_2)^2}= 2^{2(k_1-k_2)}\frac{f_1^2}{f_2^2}$ can never equal $2$ since $\frac{f_1^2}{f_2^2}$ is either odd or "odd/odd" ie: it doesn't contain 2 as a factor and $2^{2(k_1-k_2)}$ is a power of $2$. So in $2^{2(k_1-k_2)}\frac{f_1^2}{f_2^2}$, there's no chance of cancellation of the odd factor $\frac{f_1^2}{f_2^2}$.  Case 2: $q^2$ is odd (thus meaning $q$ is odd). $q=f'$ (say, here $k=0$ for $q$ but not for $p$), thus from $(a)$ $2^{2k}\frac{f^2}{f'^2} = 2$ but this isn't possible since a power of $2$ multiplied with odd factor can't equal $2$.  Thus, both case 1 and 2 suggest that for any possible combination of $k_1,k_2,f_1$ and $f_2$, $p/q\ne\sqrt2$, i.e.: for no value of integers $p$ and $q$, $p/q = \sqrt2$. Thus, this contradicts our assumption that $\sqrt2$ is rational. Therefore it must be irrational.  PLS NOTE that i would like to clarify that $f_1^2$/$f_2^2$ is either an odd integer or a fraction of odd/odd or 1/odd form, thus not containing  2 as a factor,for any $2^n$, if it has to be reduced to 2 , must be multiplied with $1/ 2^(n-1)$ but $f_1^2$/$f_2^2$ can't be of $1/2^[n-1]$ form since for odd nos, in $2^k$*f notation, k is 0 , so 2 vanishes as $2^k$ becomes 1 in this case thus f1/f2 can't be represented as  1/ $2^(n-1)$ in which n has to be existent.  therefore $2^{2(k_1-k_2)}\frac{f_1^2}{f_2^2}$ can never equal 2 as to further explain the 3rd condition of case 1  Difficulty: is my approach correct? This proof which I thought is different from proofs found on the internet or books since I have used $p$ and $q$ as any integers, which may have a common factor. So I am not sure if I am on right track. Will someone please check this out and make kind comments?
120629
I am trying to help my daughter on her math homework and I am having some trouble on some equation solving steps. My current major concern relies on understanding why $\sqrt{8}/2$ equal to $\sqrt{2}$.  Thanks in advance
88828
Is my proof that the square root of a positive integer is either an integer or an irrational number correct?  The proof goes like this:  Suppose an arbitrary number n, where n is non-negative. If $\sqrt{n}$ is an integer, then $\sqrt{n}$ must be rational. Since $\sqrt{n}$ is an integer, we can conclude that n is a square number, that is  for some integer a.  Therefore, if n is a square number, then $\sqrt{n}$ is rational.  Suppose now that n is not a square number, we want to show that the square root of any non-square number is irrational.  We prove by contradiction. That is, we suppose that the square root of any non-square number is rational. So $\sqrt{n} = \frac{a}{b}$, where $a,b \in Z^+, b \neq 0$. We also suppose that $a \neq 0$, otherwise $\frac ab = 0$ , and n will be a square number, which is rational.   Hence $n = \frac {a^2}{b^2}$, so $nb^2 = a^2$.    Suppose $b=1$. Then $\sqrt n = a$ , which shows that n is a square number. So $b \neq 1$. Since $\sqrt n &gt; 1$, then $a&gt;b&gt;1$.  By the unique factorization of integers theorem, every positive integer greater than $1$ can be expressed as the product of its primes.  Therefore, we can write $a$ as a product of primes and for every prime number that exists in $a$, there will be an even number of primes in $a^2$. Similarly, we can express $b$ as a product of primes and for every prime number that exists in $b$, there will be an even number of primes in $b^2$.  However, we can also express $n$ as a product of primes. Since $n$ is not a square number, then there exist at least one prime number that has an odd number of primes.  Therefore, there exists at least one prime in the product of $nb^2$  that has an odd number of primes. Since $nb^2=a^2$ , then this contradicts the fact that there is an even number of primes in $a^2$ since a number can neither be even and odd.  Therefore, this contradicts the fact that $\sqrt n$ is rational. Therefore, $\sqrt n$ must be irrational.  Is this sufficient? Or is there any parts I did not explain well?
6893
this is something that came up when working with one of my students today and it has been bothering me since.  It is more of a maths question than a pedagogical question so i figured i would ask here instead of MESE.  Why is $\sqrt{-1} = i$ and not $\sqrt{-1}=\pm i$?  With positive numbers the square root function always returns both a positive and negative number, is it different for negative numbers?
10813
The following is a Homework Question that I've been working on and I would like some feedback on my answer: Prove or find a counterexample: For all real numbers $x$ and $y$ it holds that $x + y$ is irrational if, and only if, both $x$ and $y$ are irrational.  So I've got (or at least like to think I've got) a counter example.  Let $x = 1$ and $y = \sqrt{2}$.   Thus $x$ is rational and $y$ is irrational. Adding $x$ and $y$ gives us $1 + \sqrt{2}$ which cannot be simplified any further (right?) and is an irrational number.  Thereby proving that $x + y$ can be irrational without both x and y being irrational.   Is this okay? Any feedback is greatly appreciated thank you!
82158
Proof  of identity $\sqrt {xy} = \sqrt x \sqrt y$ for $x,y \in \mathbb R^+$  I've been looking at the stated identity, which makes sense in $\mathbb R^+$ but fails in $\mathbb R$, since $\sqrt {-1 \cdot -1} \neq \sqrt {-1} \sqrt {-1}$.  How does one prove this identity ?  Suppose we have $x,y \in \mathbb R^+$ then $\sqrt{xy}^2 = xy = (\sqrt x \sqrt y)^2$.  Idea 1: The square-root function is bijective (monotonic increasing) and has inverse $X^2$. This in turn implies $\sqrt {xy} = \sqrt x \sqrt y$  Idea 2: The equation $X^2 = xy$ has at most $2$ solutions in $\mathbb C$, which implies $\sqrt x \sqrt y$ must be equal to $\pm \sqrt {xy}$.  Are these ideas rigorous enough ? Is there some simpler way of proving this ?
120252
If $\sqrt{x^2}$ can be simplified as follows:  $\sqrt{x^2} = (x^2)^\frac{1}{2} = x^{\frac{2}{1}\times\frac{1}{2}} =x^\frac{2}{2} = x^1 = x$  Then why would $\sqrt{x^2} = \pm x$?