Want to calculate the square root, cube root, or any nth root in Google Sheets? This guide covers the built-in SQRT function, shows alternatives using POW, POWER, and ^, and explains how to compute cube and nth roots step-by-step.

SQRT Function in Google Sheets – Syntax and Usage

The SQRT function in Google Sheets is used to return the square root of a number. It’s categorized under the Math functions.

Syntax

SQRT(value)

Argument

• value: A positive number for which to calculate the square root.

Example

=SQRT(36)

This returns 6, since 6 × 6 = 36.

Can I Use SQRT with a Negative Number?

No. If you try =SQRT(-36), it will return a #NUM! error. If you still want a result, you can wrap the value in ABS to return the square root of its absolute value:

=SQRT(ABS(-36))  → 6

Array Formula – Square Root of a Range

You can use SQRT with ARRAYFORMULA to calculate square roots of multiple numbers in a range.

If your values are in C1:C10, use:

=ARRAYFORMULA(SQRT(C1:C10))

This will return square roots in D1:D10. Blank or zero values will return 0.

Alternative Formulas for Square Root in Google Sheets

Although the SQRT function is straightforward, you can also use the following custom formulas which come in handy when calculating cube or nth roots:

=36^(1/2)
=POW(36, 1/2)
=POWER(36, 1/2)

These all return the same result as =SQRT(36).

These methods use the exponent of 1/2 to represent the square root and can be adapted to compute other roots.

Cube Root Formula in Google Sheets

There’s no specific CUBEROOT function in Google Sheets. But you can calculate it using the same pattern used in the SQRT alternatives.

Cube Root Syntax in Google Sheets

=value^(1/3)
=POW(value, 1/3)
=POWER(value, 1/3)

Example – Cube Root of 216

To find the cube root of 216, use:

=216^(1/3)       → 6
=POW(216, 1/3)   → 6
=POWER(216, 1/3) → 6

Nth Root Formula in Google Sheets

To find the nth root in Google Sheets, just replace 1/3 with 1/n in the cube root formulas.

Example: 5th Root of 3125

=3125^(1/5)       → 5
=POW(3125, 1/5)   → 5
=POWER(3125, 1/5) → 5

This works because:

5^5 = 3125 → 5 × 5 × 5 × 5 × 5 = 3125

You can also reference a cell like B2 instead of typing the value directly:

=B2^(1/5)

Conclusion

• Use SQRT(value) to return the square root of a positive number.
• Use value^(1/3) or POW(value, 1/3) for cube roots.
• For nth roots, use value^(1/n), adapting the exponent as needed.

These formulas make it easy to calculate square, cube, and nth roots dynamically in Google Sheets.

Related

• Raise a Number to a Power in Google Sheets (POW, POWER, or ^)