Root Calculator

Find square root, cube root, or any custom root of a number in seconds.

Result

A square root calculator is an essential mathematical tool designed to quickly and accurately find the square roots, cubic roots, and higher-order (Nth) roots of numbers. 
Whether you're a student trying to understand how to calculate square roots for homework, a professional working with data, or simply someone who needs a calculator with square root functionality, this tool simplifies the process. It eliminates manual calculation errors and saves valuable time, especially when dealing with numbers that aren’t perfect squares or cubes.

What is root? Understanding square, cubic and Nth roots

In mathematics, a root is a number that, when multiplied by itself a specific number of times, results in the original number. The general representation for calculating roots is:

ⁿ√x = y, meaning yⁿ = x

Roots commonly calculated with a square root calculator include square roots, cubic roots, and Nth roots.

Square Root (n=2)

A square root of a number is a value that, when multiplied by itself, produces the original number. It is mathematically represented as √x. For example, √16=4, because 4×4=16. While a square root calculator typically provides the principal (positive) value, it's important to remember that mathematically, square roots can also be negative (e.g., −4 is also a square root of 16). This root calculator for square root is ideal for everyday use.

Real-world Uses: Square roots are fundamental in geometry (e.g., finding the side length of a square given its area), physics (e.g., calculating distance or velocity in certain formulas), and even in statistics. You can also simplify square root expressions and calculate square root without a calculator using manual methods.

Cubic Root (n=3)

The cubic root of a number is the value that, when multiplied by itself three times, results in the original number, denoted as ³√x. For instance, the cubic root of 27 is 3, since 3×3×3=27. A cubic root calculator significantly simplifies the process of finding cubic roots, particularly for larger numbers or decimals, which are tedious to solve manually. This root calculator for cube root ensures accuracy.

Real-world Uses: Cubic roots are crucial in engineering (e.g., determining the side of a cube given its volume), chemistry (e.g., related to molecular structures), and in certain financial calculations involving three-dimensional growth. You can calculate cube root online with this tool.

Nth Root (General Root)

The Nth root of a number is a generalized way of finding roots beyond just squares and cubes. The question a root calculator answers here is: "What number, when raised to the power of n, equals x?" For instance, the fourth root (⁴√16) equals 2, because 24=16. Nth roots, effortlessly calculated by an Nth root calculator, are vital in advanced mathematical, engineering, and scientific computations across diverse fields. This allows you to find nth root of any number quickly.

Real-world Uses: Nth roots are used in advanced financial modeling (e.g., compound annual growth rate over multiple periods), signal processing, and various scientific fields requiring exponential growth or decay analysis.

How to Calculate Square Root

Calculating the square root of any number manually can be challenging, but it’s simplified greatly by using a square root calculator. For beginners, here’s how you can manually calculate square roots:

Method 1: Prime Factorization

To calculate square root by prime factorization, break down the number into its prime factors. Pair identical factors together. For each pair, extract one factor then Multiply these extracted factors to get the square root.

For Example: to find square root of 36

Step 1: Find the prime factorization of 36
             2x2x3x3

Step 2: Pair the Factors
              Make pairs of identical prime factors (since we’re calculating the square root):
              (2x2), (3x3)

Step 3: Extract one number from each pair
              From (2x2), extract 2
              From (3x3), extract 3

Step 4: Multiply the extracted numbers
              2x3 = 6

So, the answer is: of √36 is 6.

Method 2: Estimation and Averaging (Babylonian Method)

This iterative method involves making an initial guess, then averaging your guess with the quotient of the number divided by your guess. Repeat until the desired accuracy is reached.

For Example, to find square root of 25:

Step 1. First guess = 4
              Divide 25 by 4 = 6.25
              Now take the average of the guess and the result: 4+6.25/2 = 5.125

Step 2. New guess: 5.125
              Divide 25 by 5.125 = 4.878
              Take the average again: 5.125 +4.878/2 = 5.0015

Since 5.0015 is very close to 5, we can conclude our calculation. 

So the answer will be: √25 = 5

How to Calculate Cubic Root

While a square root calculator also commonly handles cubic roots, understanding manual methods is beneficial:

To calculate cube root by prime factorization, factorize the number into its prime factors. Group identical factors into sets of three. From each group of three, extract one factor and Multiply these extracted factors.

For Example, to find cubic root of ³√216

Step 1: Find prime factorization of 216
              216 = 2x2x2x3x3x3

Step 2: Group the numbers
              Group the prime factors in sets of three (since we’re calculating the cube root):
              (2x2x2), (3x3x3)

Step 3: Extract the numbers
              Extract one factor from each group:
              From (2x2x2), extract 2
              From (3x3x3), extract 3

Step 4: Multiply extracted numbers
              2x3=6

and the answer will be ³√216 = 6

List of Common Roots

Below are common roots frequently encountered in mathematical calculations:

  • √4 = 2
  • √9 = 3
  • √16 = 4
  • √25 = 5
  • √36 = 6
  • ³√8 = 2
  • ³√27 = 3
  • ³√64 = 4
  • ⁴√16 = 2
  • ⁵√32 = 2

These values are helpful to remember as they often appear in mathematics, science, and daily calculations.

How to Calculate Roots on a Regular Calculator?

Most regular calculators have built-in functions for calculating square and cubic roots, but may not directly support higher-order roots.

Here’s how you can calculate roots using a regular calculator:

  • Square Roots: Press the √ button, input your number, then press equals. Example: to calculate √25, enter √, then 25, then equals to get 5.
  • Cubic Roots: Most scientific calculators have a cubic root button (³√). If your calculator doesn't have this, use the exponent function. To find ³√125, enter 125^(1/3) and press equals to get 5.
  • Nth Roots: Use the exponent function, raising the number to the power of 1/n. For example, to calculate the fourth root of 81, enter 81^(1/4) to get 3.

Understanding how to calculate roots using your calculator effectively will help simplify your math tasks significantly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the square root of a number?

The square root of a number is a value that, when multiplied by itself, gives the original number. For example, √25 = 5.

What’s the cube root?

The cube root of a number is the number that, when used three times in multiplication, gives the original number. ∛27 = 3.

Can I calculate any root?

Yes. You can use the "Custom Root" option and input the degree (e.g., 5 for 5th root).

What is a third square root calculator?

A third square root calculator finds the cube root of a number, meaning it calculates a number that gives you the original number when multiplied by itself three times.