What does Radical mean?
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Radical comes from Latin 'radicalus' which means 'of the root' so the radical sign symbolises going back to the roots, or the foundation of the number.
The same meaning, slightly corrupted, is implied when you say someone is acting radically, or is a radical Christian, or a radical Moslem, etc, etc. It means that their beliefs and/or behaviour are fundamental, or raw, without being affected by social norms, modern day practices, etc.
The same meaning, slightly corrupted, is implied when you say someone is acting radically, or is a radical Christian, or a radical Moslem, etc, etc. It means that their beliefs and/or behaviour are fundamental, or raw, without being affected by social norms, modern day practices, etc.
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The term "radic" means root in late Latin.
When you put some number under radical you are finding its second, third,... or nth root.
For example to calculate√2 you have to find the root for x^2= 2.
When you put some number under radical you are finding its second, third,... or nth root.
For example to calculate√2 you have to find the root for x^2= 2.
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The root symbol used to be denoted by just using the letter r. In Latin, the function √ was pronounced "radix," which means root. Radical stems from that.