Chapter 2 - Operations with Powers and Roots of Numbers

Abstract

This chapter elaborates use of operations with powers and roots of numbers in electrical problems. When multiplying a number by itself, the operation performed is called raising to a power, and the product is called the square of the number. The numerical calculation is made with abstract numbers, and the concrete portion of the calculation is made with physical units. An example of this concept to an electrical problem is the power dissipated in an electrical circuit. Power is the rate of doing physical work, or the rate of consuming electrical energy. Power values are measured in watts. The roots of a number are two signed numbers (±). Usually only the positive number is valid in electronic circuit applications. Operations with roots of numbers are best performed with a calculator and the √ function. It is found that to extract the roots greater than 2, the x√y function is utilized. To raise a number to a power greater than 2, the calculator is best utilized with the yx function.