Content deleted Content added
m Archiving 1 discussion(s) to Talk:Methods of computing square roots/Archive 1) (bot |
→Erroneous introduction: new section |
||
Line 51:
* https://www.oldcalculatormuseum.com/d-f132svcsqr.pdf
* https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pdfs/US3526760.pdf <!-- Template:Unsigned IP --><small class="autosigned">— Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[Special:Contributions/98.164.14.157|98.164.14.157]] ([[User talk:98.164.14.157#top|talk]]) 15:16, 6 October 2020 (UTC)</small> <!--Autosigned by SineBot-->
== Erroneous introduction ==
The first paragraph of the article is this:
"'''''Methods of computing square roots''' are numerical analysis algorithms for finding the principal, or non-negative, [[square root]] (usually denoted {{sqrt|''S''}}, {{radic|''S''|2}}, or S<sup>1/2</sup>) of a real number. Arithmetically, it means given S, a procedure for finding a number which when multiplied by itself, yields S; algebraically, it means a procedure for finding the non-negative root of the equation x<sup>2</sup> - S = 0; geometrically, it means given the area of a square, a procedure for constructing a side of the square.''"
I do not know much about numerical analysis. But I do know that this is totally misleading!
A "method for computing a square root" of a number does '''not''' mean a method for *finding* the square root of that number.
Instead, it means a method for '''approximating''' the square root of the number, usually to various degrees of accuracy.
The distinction is '''essential''' to understanding what a "method for computing a square root" means. So the article should not mislead readers with an erroneous first paragraph.[[Special:Contributions/66.37.241.35|66.37.241.35]] ([[User talk:66.37.241.35|talk]]) 16:39, 7 October 2020 (UTC)
| |||