answersLogoWhite

0

No. To find the square root of any number, you try to find what number, multiplied by itself gives you that number. For instance, I know the square root of 16 is 4, because 4*4 gives me 16.

If I wanted to find the square root of -16, I cannot think of any number, multiplied by itself to give me -16. 4*-4 works. -4*4 works. But since they are NOT the same, I don't get an answer.

Your real answer will be an imaginary number. Therefore, it isn't positive or negative.

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

Still curious? Ask our experts.

Chat with our AI personalities

TaigaTaiga
Every great hero faces trials, and you—yes, YOU—are no exception!
Chat with Taiga
RafaRafa
There's no fun in playing it safe. Why not try something a little unhinged?
Chat with Rafa
FranFran
I've made my fair share of mistakes, and if I can help you avoid a few, I'd sure like to try.
Chat with Fran

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Is the square root of a negative number positive?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Continue Learning about Math & Arithmetic

What 2 numbers would be the square root of 53?

Every positive integer has two square roots, a positive square root and a negative square root. This is because, just like a positive number multiplied by a positive number is equal to a positive number, a negative number multiplied by a negative number is equal to a positive number. Therefore, rounded to two decimal places, the positive square root is equal to 7.28, and the negative square root is -7.28.


What is a number that is a square root of a negative number?

I think it is Xi (whatever the square root of the positive is times i). i is an imaginary number that when you square it, it becomes negative. eg. the square root of -4 is 2i. Without "i", it would be impossible to square root a negative number, as any number times itself will always equal a positive.


What are the two square roots of 256?

A positive number has two square roots, its principal (positive) root and its negative root. This is because a negative number multiplied by a negative number equals a positive number. In this instance, the square roots of 256 are 16 and -16.


Why cant you evaluate the square root of negative twenty five using real numbers?

using basic math principles, you can't find the square root of a negative number because in order for a number to be a square root, you have to multiply it by itself to get your radical. since a negative times a negative and a positive times a positive are both positive, it is impossible to find the square root of a negative number


How many square roots can a positive number have?

Every positive number has two square roots, though the roots are not always whole numbers (or even rational numbers). The more obvious of each numbers roots is the positive one.The positive square root of 4 is 2, because 2*2=4.The positive square root of 5 is roughly 2.236068.The other square root of a number is the negative inverse of their positive root. This is because when two negative numbers are multiplied together the negative signs "cancel out", leaving a positive number.The negative square root of 4 is -2, because -2*-2=4.The negative square root of 5 is roughly -2.236068.Zero has only one square root, itself, and no negative number has any (real number) square roots, since no number multiplied by itself will result in a negative.