Square Root

Where this fits in the syllabus

Grade 10 · Term 1

Key points to revise

Revise Square Root fast with concise, exam-ready key points

About O/L Mathematics: O/L Mathematics covers number systems, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and statistics across Grade 10 and 11.

• √0=0 and √1=1
• Roots of non-perfect squares are irrational (never-ending, non-repeating decimals)
• The radical √ means the principal (positive) root
• In the Grade 10 curriculum, negative numbers have no real square root

Must know

• √a ×√a=a; the root un-squares the number
• Perfect square → whole-number root: recognise it, or prime-factorise and halve each power
• Non-perfect square → irrational root; bracket it with a² < n < b² a < √n < b
• First approximation: test one-decimal values, keep the closest square, answer to one decimal place

Source: Idasara knowledge pack — english/OL_10/mathematics v17, short_notes: Lesson 02 - Square Root

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In the Syllabus