Question

What is the square root of 4?

Answer 1

2 and -2 are square roots of 4. The principal square root of `4`, (denoted `sqrt4`) is `2`

Explanation:

A number is a square root of 4 is, when multiplied by itself, the result is 4.

In notation: `n` is a square root of `4` if `n^2 = n xx n = 4`

There are two numbers that will work `2 xx 2 = 4` and also `-2 xx -2 = 4` so the numbers `2` and `-2` are square roots of `4`. When people talk about the square root of `4`, they usually mean the number whose complete name is "the principal square root of `4`.

The principal square root of a (positive) number is the non-negative square root. The symbol `sqrt_` denoted the principal square root.

So `sqrt4 = 2`

Here on Socratic to type `sqrt4` use the hashtag # before and after sqrt4. I you want some arithmetic under the square root symbol, use parentheses:

no parentheses: hashtag sqrt9+16 hashtag gets `sqrt9+16`

With parentheses hashtag sqrt(9+16) hashtag gets `sqrt(9+16)`