Number · Integers, powers & roots
Chapter 1 · 3
The idea
Powers and roots (squares, cubes, square roots and cube roots)
What squares, cubes and other powers mean and how to work them out by hand; square roots and cube roots as the way back, including the negative square root and the cube root of a negative number; powers of 10; trapping a root between two whole numbers and closing in to one decimal place by trial; powers and roots on a calculator; and how to compare and order them.
A full journey — read it, play with it, work it, then earn real exam marks. Everything stays on the timeline below.
In this lesson — start anywhere
Number · Integers, powers & roots
Powers and roots (squares, cubes, square roots and cube roots)
What squares, cubes and other powers mean and how to work them out by hand; square roots and cube roots as the way back, including the negative square root and the cube root of a negative number; powers of 10; trapping a root between two whole numbers and closing in to one decimal place by trial; powers and roots on a calculator; and how to compare and order them.
Why it works
Squares: a number times itself
Nia is planning a garden, and every number on this page comes from it. Her patio is a square of paving, m along each side, so its area is m².A number multiplied by itself is its square. is written and read "six squared". The small counts how many sixes are multiplied. It does not mean "times ": , not .Keep reading — free
The rest of the explanation, plus 5 worked examples you step through move by move.
Start freeTakes a minute — no card.