Burning Math
How to check if a number is a Perfect Square
Squares of all integers are known as perfect squares. In this lesson, we will discuss a very interesting
Mathematical shortcut: How to check whether a number is a perfect square or not. There are some
properties of perfect squares which can be used to test if a number is a perfect square or not. They can
definitely say if it is not the square. (i.e. Converse is not necessarily true).
All perfect squares end in 1, 4, 5, 6, 9 or 00 (i.e. Even number of zeros). Therefore, a number that ends in
2, 3, 7 or 8 is not a perfect square.
For all the numbers ending in 1, 4, 5, 6, & 9 and for numbers ending in even zeros, then remove the zeros
at the end of the number and apply following tests:
Digital roots are 1, 4, 7 or 9. No number can be a perfect square unless its
digital root is 1, 4, 7, or 9. You might already be familiar with computing digital
roots. (To find digital root of a number, add all its digits. If this sum is more
than 9, add the digits of this sum. The single digit obtained at the end is the
digital root of the number.)
If unit digit ends in 5, ten’s digit is always 2.
If it ends in 6, ten’s digit is always odd (1, 3, 5, 7, and 9) otherwise it is always
even. That is if it ends in 1, 4, and 9 the ten’s digit is always even (2, 4, 6, 8, 0).
If a number is divisible by 4, its square leaves a remainder 0 when divided by
8.
Square of even number not divisible by 4 leaves remainder 4 while square of
an odd number always leaves remainder 1 when divided by 8.
Total numbers of prime factors of a perfect square are always odd.
4539 ends in 9, digit sum is 3. Therefore, 4539 is not a perfect square
5776 ends in 6, digit sum is 7. Therefore, 5776 may be a perfect square
Step 1: A perfect square never ends in 2, 3, 7 or 8
This is the first observation you will make to check if the number is a perfect square or not. For example,
consider the example 15623.
15623
By just noticing the number itself, we can conclude that 15623 cannot be a perfect square. We do not
have to go to Step 2.
Step 2: Obtain the digital root of the number:
How does the digital root of a number would help in determining if a number is a perfect square or not. It
turns out; a perfect square will always have a digital root of 0, 1, 4 or 7.
Take the number 15626 for example. This number ends in digits 6. So it satisfies Step 1. But still we
cannot conclude, this number as a perfect square.
Let’s take the digital root of this number.
1 5 6 2 6 = 5 + 6 = 11 = 1 + 1 = 2
So, the digital root of this number is 2. A perfect square will never have a digital root 2. Hence, we can
conclude 15626 is not a perfect square.
Now, there is a rider for this shortcut though, even if both Steps are satisfied, that does not guarantee
that the number is a perfect square.
Let us take up an example here. Consider the number 623461, which is not a perfect square.
Notice that the unit digit is 1. This number could be a perfect square. Let us take the digital root.
623461
The digital root of 623461 is 4. So it satisfies both Step 1 and 2. Still we cannot conclude that 623461 is
a perfect square though.
However, this shortcut comes in really handy to eliminate obvious choices which are not a perfect
square to solve competitive examination where you need to find the perfect squares.
Is 14798678562 a perfect square? Is 15763530163289 a perfect square?
Examine both the units digits and the digital roots of perfect squares to help determine whether or not a
given number is a perfect square.
As we know a perfect square can only end in a 0, 1, 4, 5, 6, or 9; this
should allow us to determine whether the first of our numbers is a perfect square. However, it isn't
sufficient to draw a conclusion about the second number.
Again as we know that if a perfect square ends in 9; it’s tens digit is always even. Alas, even if we do this,
it won't rule out numbers ending in 89, because '...89' is a possible square.
However, as we know no number can be a perfect square unless its digital root is 1, 4, 7, or 9; so, find the
digital root of our second number. It’s 5. As 5 isn't in this list, then the number is definitely not a perfect
square.
So, we can conclude, a number cannot be an exact or perfect square if
- it ends in 2, 3,7 or 8
- it terminates in an odd number of zeros
- its last digit is 6 but its penultimate (tens) digit is even
- its last digit is not 6 but its penultimate (tens) digit is odd
- its last digit is 5 but its penultimate (tens) digit is other than 2
- its last 2 digits are not divisible by 4 if it is even number
Share 7
15 comments:
తు జయకృష January 27, 2014 at 5:55 AM
nice
Reply
Jon Scaife May 1, 2014 at 2:59 AM
I read in the Guardian recently (Chris Maslanka's puzzles) that no perfect square can leave a
remainder of 3 or 5 on division by 7. No explanation or justification was given. Do you know of
any?
Reply
Replies
Anonymous July 8, 2014 at 2:20 AM
Look at all possible remainders upon division by 7 (so 0 through 6) and see what the
remainder is when you divide 0^2, 1^2, ..., 6^2 by 7. The possible remainders are 0, 1, 4,
2, 2, 4, and 1. So no perfect square gives a remainder of 3, 5, or 6 upon division by 7.
Reply
shankar May 16, 2014 at 3:32 PM
total number of prime factors is always even for a perfect square...total number of factors is
odd...
ex:36=2^2 * 3^2
total no. of factors=(2+1)*(2+1)=6
total number of distinct prime factors=2(2,3)
correct me if i am wrong.thank you
Reply
Replies
Anonymous August 30, 2014 at 11:44 AM
just a small typo (2+1)*(2+1)=9 as u said it always has to be odd hence its true
Reply
rishabh kumar May 14, 2015 at 7:07 PM
Thanks
Reply
Anonymous July 26, 2015 at 1:39 PM
According to these rules are 61 and 76 perfect squares
Reply
S Siva October 15, 2015 at 1:36 PM
514 is a perfect square??...
It's digital root is 1
Reply
Replies
Anonymous January 18, 2016 at 11:51 AM
Nope, it's last 2 digits are not divisible by 4
Reply
Emmanuel Colina October 24, 2015 at 6:52 AM
nice...
Reply
Rob November 30, 2015 at 1:09 PM
81 = 9^2?
digital root is 9 so it fails on step 2
Is the digital root the iterative sum of the digits until there is only one digit or is it the remainder
when the number is divided by 9?
Reply
Sandeep Rocker December 14, 2015 at 2:08 PM
S siva:
514%7=3, so its not a perfect square.
Reply
Sumant Kulkarni January 3, 2016 at 1:51 AM
what about the no like 10,1000. these numbers are not perfect squares. This method fails at step
II.
Reply
Replies
Anonymous January 18, 2016 at 11:54 AM
You might not need to go to step 2 here. Step 1 rules out the possibility of perfect
square as it ends with odd number of zeros.
Reply
Krish Yadav February 19, 2016 at 9:37 AM
is X64 perfect square??
Reply
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