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How to Do Square Root in Python IDLE?

Published in Python Math 2 mins read

You can calculate the square root in Python IDLE using the math.sqrt() function from the math module.

Here's how:

  1. Import the math module: Before you can use math.sqrt(), you need to import the math module into your Python IDLE session. You do this by typing import math and pressing Enter.

  2. Use the math.sqrt() function: To calculate the square root of a number, pass it as an argument to the math.sqrt() function. For example, to find the square root of 25, you would type math.sqrt(25) and press Enter. The result, 5.0, will be displayed.

Here's a complete example in Python IDLE:

>>> import math
>>> math.sqrt(25)
5.0
>>> math.sqrt(2)
1.4142135623730951

Explanation:

  • import math: This line imports the math module, making its functions available.
  • math.sqrt(25): This calls the sqrt() function from the math module with the argument 25. The function returns the square root of 25, which is 5.0. Note that the result is a float (a number with a decimal point).
  • math.sqrt(2): This shows how to calculate the square root of another number, in this case, 2.

Alternatives (less common):

While math.sqrt() is the most straightforward and recommended method, you can also calculate square roots using the power operator (**). To find the square root of a number x, you can raise it to the power of 0.5: x**0.5. However, using math.sqrt() is generally preferred for readability and because it is specifically designed for square root calculations.

>>> 25**0.5
5.0

Summary:

To calculate the square root in Python IDLE, import the math module and use the math.sqrt() function. This is the most common and readable way to achieve this.

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