How Do You Calculate Square Root?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the square root of a number using the iterative method known as the Babylonian method or Heron's method. The formula provided is x' = (a/x + x) / 2, where 'a' is the input number and 'x' is the current estimate of the square root. This method converges quickly to the actual square root through repeated iterations. The user expresses a desire to create a simple calculator on their computer utilizing this mathematical approach.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic algebraic concepts
  • Familiarity with iterative algorithms
  • Basic programming skills for implementing the algorithm
  • Knowledge of floating-point arithmetic
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the Babylonian method for square root calculation
  • Learn about floating-point precision in programming
  • Explore programming languages suitable for implementing mathematical algorithms, such as Python or Java
  • Investigate optimization techniques for iterative algorithms
USEFUL FOR

Anyone interested in programming, particularly those developing mathematical applications or calculators, as well as students learning about algorithms and numerical methods.

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Just bored and decided I want to make my own little calculator on my computer. What is the method for finding the square root of an input number?
 
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To find the sqrt of a

x'=(a/x+x)/2

iterate.

Have fun.
 
Thanks, I appreciate it. Sorry it was such a bad question:shy:.
 
Last edited:

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