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XXIX. Extraction of the second Root of Fractions.

Fractions are multiplied together by multiplying their numerators together, and their denominators together. Hence the second power of a fraction is found by multiplying the numerator into itself, and the denominator into itself; thus the second power of is. The second power of

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by extracting the root of the numerator, and of the denominator; thus the root of is 7.

If either the numerator or denominator has no exact root, the root of the fraction cannot be found exactly. Thus the root of is between and or 1. It is nearest to .

The denominator of a fraction may always be rendered a perfect second power, so that its root may be found; and for the numerator, the number which is nearest to the root must be taken. Suppose it is required to find the root of. If both terms of the fraction be multiplied by 5, the value of the fraction will not be altered, and the denominator will be a perfect second power,

The root is nearest .

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This is exact, within less than . If it is necessary to have the root more exactly; after the fraction has been prepared by multiplying both its terms by the denominator, we may again multiply both its terms by some number that is a perfect second power. The larger this number, the more exact the result will generally be.

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If both terms be multiplied by 144, which is the second power of 12, it becomes 8, the root of which is nearest to This is the true root within less than '.

We may approximate in this way the roots of whole numbers, whose roots cannot be exactly assigned.

If it is required to find the root of 2, we may change it to a fraction, whose denominator is a perfect second power.

The root of is nearest to = 1. This differs from the true root by a quantity less than. If greater exactness is required, a number larger than 144 may be used.

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4. What is the root of 28317?

5. What is the approximate root of? 6. What is the approximate root of 1? 7. What is the approximate root of 34? 8. What is the approximate root of 17? 9. What is the approximate root of 3? 10. What is the approximate root of 7? 11. What is the approximate root of 417 ?

Ans. T

The most convenient numbers to multiply by, in order to approximate the root more nearly, are the second powers of 10, 100, 1000, &c., which are 100, 10000, 1000000, &c. By this means, the results will be in decimals.

To find the root of 2 for instance, first reduce it to hundredths.

2, the approximate root of which is 14

00

1.4.

Again 28%, the approximate root of which is +=

1.41.

=

Again, 2, the approximate root of which is 11

=1.414.

In this way we may approximate the root with sufficient accuracy for every purpose. But we may observe, that at every approximation, two more zeros are annexed to the number. In fact, if one zero is annexed to the root, there must be two annexed to its power; for the second power of 10 is 100, that of 100 is 10000, &c.

This enables us to approximate the root by decimals, and we may annex the zeros as we proceed in the work, always annexing two zeros for each new figure to be found in the root, in the same manner as two figures are brought down in whole numbers.

The root of 2 then may be found as follows.

2 (1.41421, &c. root.

1

10,0 (24

96

40,0 (281 28 1

11 90,0 (2824

11 29 6

60 40,0 (28282

56 56 4

3 83 60,0 (282841

2 82 84 1

1 00 75 9

12. What is the approximate root of 28?
13. What is the approximate root of 243 ?
14. What is the approximate root of 27068 ?
15. What is the approximate root of 2433 ?
2433243375 = 243375° = 24337588°, &c.

1000000

The approximate root of which is 1500 15.6, &c.

1000

But it is plain that this may be performed in the same manner as the above. For if the number 243375000 be prepared in the usual way, it stands thus; 2,43,37,50,00. Now

243375000 243.375000.
1000000

If we take this number and begin at the units and point towards the left, and then towards the right in the same manner, the number will be separated into the same parts, viz. 2,43.37,50,00. The root of this number may be extracted in the usual way, and continued to any number of decimal places by annexing zeros.

N. B. The decimal point must be placed in the root, before the first two decimals are used. Or the root must contain one half as many decimal places as the power, counting the zeros which are annexed.

16. What is the approximate root of 213.53? 17. What is the approximate root of 7263 ? 18. What is the approximate root of 17? 19. What is the approximate root of 311?

21. What is the approximate root of ?

20. What is the approximate root of ??

22. What is the approximate root of?

23. What is the approximate root of 15?

XXX. Questions producing pure Equations of the Second Degree.

1. A mercer bought a piece of silk for £16. 4s.; and the number of shillings which he paid per yard, was to the number of yards, as 4 to 9. How many yards did he buy, and what was the price of a yard ?

Let x = the numoer of shillings he paid per yard.

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Ans. 27 yards, at 12s. per yard.

2. A detachment of an army was marching in regular column, with 5 men more in depth than in front; but upon the nemy coming in sight, the front was increased by 845 men; nd by this movement the detachment was drawn up in 5 lines. Required the number of men.

Let the number in front;

then x+5= the number in depth;
x2+5x= the whole number of men.

Again x+845 = the number in front after the movement;
And 5 x + 4225 the whole number.

2+5=5+4225
x2=4225

Ꮖ = 65

The number of men = 5 x + 4225 = 4550.

3. A piece of land containing 160 square rods, is called an acre of land. If it were square, what would be the length of one of its sides?

Let x one side.

x2 = 160

x = 12649 +

Ans. The side is 12.649 rods. It cannot be found exactly, because 160 is not an exact 2d power.

This is exact within less than of a rod. It might be carried to a greater degree of exactness if necessary.

4. What is the side of a square field, containing 17 acres? 5. There is a field 144 rods long and 81 rods wide; what would be the side of a square field, whose content is the same?

6. A man wishes to make a cistern that shall contain 100 gallons, or 23100 cubic inches, the bottom of which shall be square, and the height 3 feet. What must be the length of one side of the bottom?

7. A certain sum of money was divided every week among the resident members of a corporation. It happened one week that the number resident was the root of the number of dollars to be divided. Two men however coming into residence the week after, diminished the dividend of each of the former individuals 1 dollars. What was the sum to be divided?

Let x the number of dollars to be divided;

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