radical sign

American  

noun

Mathematics.

1. the symbol √ or indicating extraction of a root of the quantity that follows it, as √25=5 or .

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radical sign British  

noun

1. the symbol √ placed before a number or quantity to indicate the extraction of a root, esp a square root. The value of a higher root is indicated by a raised digit in front of the symbol, as in ³√

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Etymology

Origin of radical sign

First recorded in 1660–70

Example Sentences

Put parentheses only around the 5z since 3 is not under the radical sign.

From Textbooks • May 6, 2020

We use a radical sign, and write, m, which denotes the positive square root of m.

From Textbooks • May 6, 2020

When we use a radical sign, it indicates the principal or positive root.

From Textbooks • May 6, 2020

We also use the radical sign for the square root of zero.

From Textbooks • Apr. 22, 2020

When we use the radical sign that always means we want the principal square root.

From Textbooks • Apr. 22, 2020