How to use SQRT Google Sheets formula?

The syntax for the SQRT formula is =SQRT(value), it has 1 required parameter.

SQRT

The SQRT function returns the positive square root of a given number. It can be used to find the length of a side of a right triangle, or to calculate standard deviation. The function takes one argument, the value or reference to the cell containing the number for which you want to find the square root.

How to use SQRT formula?
Examples of using SQRT formula
SQRT formula not working?
Similar formulas to SQRT

Usage

Use the SQRT formula with the syntax shown below, it has 1 required parameter:

=SQRT(value)

Parameters:

value (required):
The number for which you want to find the square root. Must be a positive number or a reference to a cell containing a positive number.

Examples

Here are a few example use cases that explain how to use the SQRT formula in Google Sheets.

Finding the length of a side of a right triangle

If you know the lengths of two sides of a right triangle, you can use the Pythagorean theorem to find the length of the third side. For example, if side A is 3 and side B is 4, you can use the formula =SQRT(A2^2 + B2^2) to find the length of side C (which will be 5).

Calculating standard deviation

The SQRT function can be used as part of a formula to calculate the standard deviation of a range of values. For example, if your values are in cells A1 to A10, you can use the formula =SQRT(SUMSQ(A1:A10) / COUNT(A1:A10) - AVERAGE(A1:A10)^2) to calculate the standard deviation.

Common Mistakes

SQRT not working? Here are some common mistakes people make when using the SQRT Google Sheets Formula:

Using a negative value

The value provided to the SQRT function must be a positive number. If a negative number is used, a #NUM! error will occur. To correct this, ensure that the value being used is positive.

Incorrect number of arguments

The SQRT function requires exactly one argument to be provided. If more or less than one argument is provided, a #VALUE! error will occur. To correct this, ensure that only one argument is provided.

Using a non-numeric value

The value provided to the SQRT function must be a numeric value. If a non-numeric value is used, a #VALUE! error will occur. To correct this, ensure that the value being used is a numeric value.

The following functions are similar to SQRT or are often used with it in a formula:

POW
The POW formula is a mathematical operator in Google Sheets used to raise a base number to the power of an exponent. It returns the result of the calculation. This formula is commonly used in financial analysis, engineering, and scientific research.
SUMSQ
The SUMSQ formula is a Math formula that returns the sum of the squares of a given set of numbers. It is commonly used to calculate the sum of squares for a set of values, which can be useful in statistical analysis and other mathematical operations.
PRODUCT
The PRODUCT formula in Google Sheets multiplies all the numbers given in the arguments and returns the product. It is commonly used to calculate the total product of a range of cells.
AVERAGE
The AVERAGE function calculates the average (arithmetic mean) of the values passed to it. It is commonly used to find the average of a range of cells containing numerical data.
LN
The LN formula returns the natural logarithm of a given value. The natural logarithm is the logarithm to the base e, where e is an irrational number approximately equal to 2.71828. The formula is commonly used in mathematical and scientific calculations.

Learn More

You can learn more about the SQRT Google Sheets function on Google Support.