Example: Find √645 to one decimal place.

First group the numbers under the root in pairs from right to
left, leaving either one or two digits on the left (6 in this
case). For each pair of numbers you will get one digit in the
square root.
To start, find a number whose square is less than or equal to
the first pair or first number, and write it above the square
root line (2).
2
√6.45
2 2 2
√6.45 √6.45
√6.45 -4 -4
-4 (4 _) 245 (45) 245
245
Square the 2, Then double the Next think what
giving 4, write number above the single digit
that underneath square root number something
the 6, and symbol line could go on the
subtract. Bring (highlighted), and empty line so that
down the next pair write it down in forty-something tim
of digits. parenthesis with es something would
an empty line be less than or
next to it as equal to 245.
shown. 45 x 5 = 225
46 x 6 = 276, so 5
works.
2 5 2 5 2 5 .3
√6.45.00 √6.45.00 √6.45.00
-4 -4 -4
(45) 245 (45) 245 (45) 245
- 225 - 225 - 225
20 00 (50_)20 00 (503)20 00

Write 5 on top of Then double the Think what single

 line. number digit number
Calculate 5 x 45, above the line something could go
write that (25), and write on the empty line
below 245, the doubled so that five
subtract, bring number (50) in hundred-something
down the next pair parenthesis with times something
of digits (in this an empty line would be less than
case the decimal next to it as or equal to 2000.
digits 00). indicated: 503 x 3 = 1509
504 x 4 = 2016, so
3 works.
25 .3 25 .3 25 .3 9
√6.45.00.00 √6.45.00.00 √6.45.00.00
- - -4
4 4 (45) 245
(45) 245 (45) 245 - 225
- 225 - 225 (503)20 00
(503)20 00 (503)20 00 - 15 09
- 15 09 - 15 09 (506_) 491 00
491 00 (506_) 491 00
Calculate 3 x 503, Then double the 5068 x 8 = 40544
write that 'number' 253 5069 x 9 = 45621,
below 2000, which is above which is less
subtract, bring the line (ignoring than 49100, so 9
down the next the decimal works.
digits. point), and write
the doubled
number 506 in
parenthesis with
an empty line
next to it as
indicated:

Thus to one decimal place, √645 = 25.4

SQUARING
Start with the square of 50, 2500, add 100 times the
distance between 50 and the number, and then add the
square of the distance of 50 and the number. For instance,
432 = 2500 - 700 + 49 = 1849. This comes from the simple
FOIL identity (50 + x)2 = 2500 - 100x + x2. In this identity,
x is the distance between 50 and the number. If the number
is 43 (as in my example), x is -7. If the number is 54, x is 4.
So if you memorize your squares from 1 to 25, you get the
squares of 26 through 75 "for free".

If the idea of memorizing the squares of 1 to 25 seems

daunting, it's not. A few weeks ago, before knowing this
trick, I knew just up to 13 offhand, with a few others
scattered here and there. I drew up a table in Excel listing
numbers 1 to 25 side by side with their squares, printed it
out and put it on the wall of my cubicle. The squares I don't
have memorized in those first 25 I can now get in a few
seconds (for instance, for the square of 23 I am still
counting up from 20 squared: 400, 441, 484, *529*). Even
with not quite knowing them all I can find squares from 1 to
75 in under 10 seconds (thought process for finding 73
squared offhand: "73 is 23 greater than 50. What's 23
squared again? 400, 441, 484, 529! 2500 + 2300 + 529 =
5329. Done!")