🌱 Learn
Square Roots, the easy way
A square root just asks a backwards question. If you know your times tables, you already know most of the answers — this page shows you how it clicks.
What is a square root?
Squaring a number means multiplying it by itself: 5 × 5 = 25. A square root asks the opposite question — “which number, times itself, makes this?”
√25 = 5 because 5 × 5 = 25
The √ sign is called the radical. The number tucked under it is the one you're taking the root of.
The perfect squares to know
Learn these by heart and most square roots become instant. Tap any tile to explore it below.
Try it: the √ explorer
Type a number — or tap a tile above — and watch the square root worked out.
✓ 49 is a perfect square — 7 × 7 = 49.
How to find one
- Recognise it. If the number is in the table above, the root is the matching number. √81? That's 9.
- Squeeze it. If it's not a perfect square, find the two it sits between. √50 is between √49 (7) and √64 (8), so it's a bit more than 7.
- Check by squaring. Multiply your answer by itself. If you get back the number you started with, you nailed it.
Worked example: √144
- 144 is in the table — it's 12 × 12.
- So √144 = 12.
- Check: 12 × 12 = 144. ✓
Worked example: √30 (estimate)
- 30 sits between 25 (5²) and 36 (6²).
- So √30 is between 5 and 6 — closer to 5.
- 5.5 × 5.5 = 30.25, so √30 ≈ 5.5.
What about cube roots? ∛
A cube root undoes cubing (multiplying a number by itself three times). ∛27 = 3 because 3 × 3 × 3 = 27. Same idea, one more multiply.
Mini quiz 🎯
Five quick square roots, no timer — just to test yourself.
Now practise it 🦉
FittestOwl's Math game includes square roots, cube roots, powers and more. Pick your number size and beat the clock — it's free.
▶ Practise on FittestOwl