How Does Python Sqrt Work?

Python finds the square root of a number primarily by using the math.sqrt() function, which is part of the built-in math module.

Using math.sqrt()

The standard and most common way to calculate the square root of a number in Python is by utilizing the dedicated function within the math module. This function is designed for accurate floating-point calculations.

Here are the simple steps based on the provided information:

1. Import the math module: Before you can use the sqrt function, you must make the math module available in your script or session. You do this using the import keyword.
2. Call math.sqrt(): Once the module is imported, you can call the sqrt() function by prefixing it with math. and passing the number whose square root you want to find as an argument inside the parentheses.

Example:

As stated in the reference, to find the square root of 16:

import math
result = math.sqrt(16)
print(result)

This code will output 4.0. Notice that math.sqrt() typically returns a floating-point number, even if the result is a whole number.

Using math.sqrt() is the recommended method for most general square root calculations in Python due to its reliability and precision for floating-point values.