What does it mean to say that a number is a perfect square? Can you give me one example of a number that is a perfect square and one that is not? Please explain. Thank you! :)

Question

perl · Answer

hard to give an example without giving the answer :)

anonymous · Answer

A perfect square is when you square a number, (when you put a number under the square root sign and solve it), you get a whole number. 
For example, the square root of 16 is 4. Because 4x4=16. Or the square root of 25 would be 5. Because 5x5=25.

But one that isn't perfect is when you solve a square root, and don't get a clean number. Answers such as decimals. 
For example, square root of 10 is 3.16227766. Or square root of 15 is 3.87298335. 

Perfect square is a clean number, non perfect is a messy number. 

I hope that made sense :)

fiore01 · Answer

Thank you so much!!