In mathematics, a square root of a number x is a number y such that y² = x; in other words, a number y whose square (the result of multiplying the number by itself, or y ⋅ y) is x. For example, 4 and −4 are square roots of 16 because 4² = ( − 4 )² = 16.
Edit: I’m wrong lol, there is a difference between the square root function, which accepts two results, and the square root, or principal square root, which is a unique positive number
So close yet so far. If only you had read ONE more paragraph.
Every nonnegative real number x has a unique nonnegative square root, called the principal square root or simply the square root (with a definite article, see below), which is denoted by √x where the symbol “√” is called the radical sign or radix.
This sentence made no sense to me as it directly contradicted the previous one. But it’s just a confusion on my part between the function called square root, which confusingly outputs two different numbers called “square roots”, and “the” number called square root; I’ve edited my comment. Thanks for correcting me!
Yeah, I see how that can happen. Very confusing to have the same name for two things differentiated only by the use of a definite or indefinite article.
No?
Wikipedia
Edit: I’m wrong lol, there is a difference between the square root function, which accepts two results, and the square root, or principal square root, which is a unique positive number
So close yet so far. If only you had read ONE more paragraph.
This sentence made no sense to me as it directly contradicted the previous one. But it’s just a confusion on my part between the function called square root, which confusingly outputs two different numbers called “square roots”, and “the” number called square root; I’ve edited my comment. Thanks for correcting me!
Yeah, I see how that can happen. Very confusing to have the same name for two things differentiated only by the use of a definite or indefinite article.