For any given value v the square root of it is some value r such that it yields v if multiplied by itself
(i.e. "squared"). So using function sqrt to describe square root we can write:
r = sqrt(v)
v = r * r = r ^ 2
There is no straighforward way to calculate square root, so if any program needs it, programmer should use some iterative approximation algorithm (which is often already implemented in his programming language library or even inside the (co)processor itself).
Here we describe the popular method which was probably in use in ancient Greece, Babylon etc - and which is good to be learned.
r of a value v, first choose any reasonable approximation - (for example, let r = 1);d as the result of division v by r, i.e. d = v / r - obviously the better approximation r gives, the closer d will be to it;r and d, if it is small enough for your purpose, then stop and return r;r and d and use it as the next step approximation, i.e. r{new} = (r + d) / 2);Let us see an example - we'll try to compute sqrt(10):
r = 1
d = 10 / 1 = 10
abs(r - d) = abs(1 - 10) = 9 - difference is bit too much still
(r + d) / 2 = (1 + 10) / 2 = 5.5
let r = 5.5
d = 10 / 5.5 = 1.8182
abs(r - d) = abs(5.5 - 1.8182) = 3.6818 - again too much, let us proceed
(r + d) / 2 = (5.5 + 1.8182) / 2 = 3.6591
let r = 3.6591
d = 10 / 3.6591 = 2.7329
abs(r - d) = abs(3.6591 - 2.7329) = 0.9262 - it become less than 1, let us do the one step more
(r + d) / 2 = (3.6591 + 2.7329) / 2 = 3.196
let r = 3.196
So in just 3 steps we get reasonably well result (exact value is sqrt(10) = 3.1623...), even despite we
started from extremely poor initial approximation of r = 1.
To practice this algorithm see the Square Root task. You can also read wikipedia on more methods for square root computing methods.