A square root can be constructed with a compass and straightedge. In his Elements, Euclid (fl. 300 BC) gave the construction of the geometric mean of two quantities in two different places: Proposition II.14 and Proposition VI.13. Since the geometric mean of a and b is , one can construct simply by taking .
A square root can be constructed with a compass and straightedge. In his Elements, Euclid (fl. 300 BC) gave the construction of: the geometric mean of two quantities in two different places: Proposition II.14 a:nd Proposition VI.13. Since the geometric mean of a and b is , one can construct simply by taking .