SOLUTION: What does the radical sign tell you to do if, for example you have: 7√2. Does the sign mean multiply 7 by 2, and you'll get your answer?

Algebra ->  Radicals -> SOLUTION: What does the radical sign tell you to do if, for example you have: 7√2. Does the sign mean multiply 7 by 2, and you'll get your answer?       Log On


   

Question 203016: What does the radical sign tell you to do if, for example you have: 7√2.
Does the sign mean multiply 7 by 2, and you'll get your answer?
Answer by solver91311(24713) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

In a word, no. The radical sign tells you to take the square root of the quantity inside of it. The square root is that number, when multiplied by itself results in the quantity under the radical.

For example, because

As to the example you gave, , the only way to exactly represent this quantity is just like it is, . That's because is an irrational number; it cannot be represented as the quotient of two integers. You can approximate it with a decimal representation to as many digits of precision as you like, but you can never represent it exactly except by writing .

John