Radical

A radical, in mathematics, refers to the symbol (√) that denotes the root of a number, most commonly the square root. It represents the value that, when multiplied by itself, yields the original number. For example, √9 = 3 because 3 × 3 = 9. Radicals can also indicate other roots, like cube roots (∛) or higher, where the root indicates which number multiplied by itself the specified number of times equals the original number. Radicals are used to simplify and solve equations involving roots and powers, playing a fundamental role in algebra and higher mathematics.