Square root of 3

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List of numbers - Irrational numbers
√2 - φ - \sqrt{3} - √5 - e - π
Binary 1.1011101101100111101...
Decimal 1.7320508075688772935...
Hexadecimal 1.BB67AE8584CAA73B...
Continued fraction 1 + \frac{1}{1 + \frac{1}{2 + \frac{1}{1 + \frac{1}{2 + \ldots}}}}

The square root of 3 is the positive real number that, when multiplied by itself, gives the number 3. It is denoted by

\sqrt{3}.

The first sixty significant digits of its decimal expansion are:

1.73205 08075 68877 29352 74463 41505 87236 69428 05253 81038 06280 5580... (sequence A002194 in OEIS)

The rounded value of 1.732 is correct to within 0.01% of the actual value.

The square root of 3 is an irrational number. It is also known as Theodorus' constant, named after Theodorus of Cyrene.

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[edit] Geometry

The square root of 3 is equal to the length across the flat sides of a regular hexagon with sides of length 1.
The square root of 3 is equal to the length across the flat sides of a regular hexagon with sides of length 1.

If an equilateral triangle (equilateral polygon with three sides) with sides of length 1 is cut into two equal halves, by bisecting an internal angle across to make a right angle with one side, the right angle triangle's hypotenuse is length one and the sides are of length 1/2 and \sqrt{3}/2. From this the trigonometric function tangent of 60 degrees equals \sqrt{3}.

It is the distance between opposite flat sides of a regular hexagon with sides of length 1.

It is the length of the diagonal of a unit cube.

The shape Vesica piscis has a major axis: minor axis ratio equal to the square root of three, this can be shown by constructing two equilateral triangles within it.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • M. F. Jones, "22900D approximations to the square roots of the primes less than 100", Math. Comp 22 (1968): 234 - 235.
  • H. S. Uhler, "Approximations exceeding 1300 decimals for \sqrt{3}, \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}, \sin(\frac{\pi}{3}) and distribution of digits in them" Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 37 (1951): 443 - 447.
  • Wells, D. The Penguin Dictionary of Curious and Interesting Numbers Revised Edition. London: Penguin Group. (1997): 23

[edit] External links