This activity might not be viewable on your mobile device.Video segment. Assistance may be required. Watch the following video clip reviewing the steps to estimate the value of a square root.

Source: How to estimate of square roots, 5min life videopedia

What are the steps to estimate the value of a square root?

Check Your Answer

  1. First find the perfect squares immediately above and below your number.
  2. Take the square roots of these two perfect squares. Your answer will be between these two numbers.
  3. Finally, estimate the decimal based on how close your number is to each of the squares you chose in step one.
Close Pop Up

Examples:

Mike makes a square as part of a model house he is building.  The area of the square is 30 square centimeters.  Between what two whole numbers would you estimate the length of the edge of the square?

Check Your Answer

Between 5 and 6 centimeters Close Pop Up

The line segment shown on the following graph has a length equal to  units.

line segment plotted x-y coordinate plane on graph paper

What is the approximate value of the length of the line segment?

Check Your Answer

The line segment is approximately 9.4 units long. Close Pop Up

Interactive exercise. Assistance may be required.