SpreadsheetWeb blog
SQRT Excel Function
In this guide, we’re going to show you how to use the Excel SQRT function and also go over some tips and error handling methods.
The Excel SQRT function is a Math and Trigonometry formula that can calculate and return the positive square root of the input value. This is essentially the formula approach to finding square root of a number in Excel. For other methods and finding different exponents, please see: How to find square root in Excel. In this guide, we’re going to show you how to use the Excel SQRT function to find the square root of a number, and also go over some tips and error handling methods.
Supported versions
- All Excel versions
SQRT Function Syntax
Arguments
| number | The numeric value for which you want to find the square root. Note that this must be a positive number, otherwise you will get an error. |
Examples
The SQRT function only requires a single argument (number) to find the square root of a number. Please note that you need to enter a positive number for the number argument for the function to work as intended, and you will get an error otherwise. Here, you can use a static value, a cell reference, or the result of another formula. Below is a set of examples on how to use the formula with different input values.
Tips
- If you want to use a negative number, use the ABS function in combination to make the input value an absolute number, and ignore its sign:
- Alternatively, you can use rational exponents to calculate the square root of a number. For example, if the number is x, the formula would be something like below,
Issues
- The SQRT function will return a #NUM! error if the number argument is negative.