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sqrt(4)-2 is showing in correct value in calculator

Anonymous
2010-11-06T14:17:35+00:00

Hi,

I tried to calculate square root of 4 minus 2. So i pressed 4 thensquare root sign then minus 2. Ideally i should get zero but instead of that i got -1.06.Could you please explain this.

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-02-10T02:40:38+00:00

    My calc v 5.1  when I do 10^3 = 10000  or 10^2 = 1000.

    ****

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-11-23T20:15:37+00:00

    It is a BUG with the Calculator since at least XP.  It is very easy to state otherwise but it still seems to fail the laws of Math.

    Sqrt (4) = 2   then -2 (2-2) should be 0.

    Other calculator softwares , both Windows and non Windows, and Excel will state 0 as the result.

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-11-23T19:39:38+00:00
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  4. Anonymous
    2010-11-06T17:35:22+00:00

    Actually the result is -1.068281969439142e-19 which is scientific notation for -1.068281969439142 × 10⁻ⁱ⁹ or -0.000000000000000000106828196944 (rounded to the thirtieth decimal place). This result is a cause of the way computers handlefloating point decimals and the behaviour can be recreated with a variety of methods.

    If the infitisimal remainder is causing you grief in some calculations, there are ways to get around the issue, but you will have to be a bit more specific about the problem and the results you are expecting to achieve.

    • "Have you tried turning it off and then on again?" - Roy from 'The IT Crowd' (Emmy award-winning British comedy)
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