ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Real radical

Okay kiddo, let's talk about something called a real radical. A real radical is a number that has a square root that is also a real number. Let's say you have a square root symbol, like this √ . If you put a number inside the √ symbol and it comes out with a whole number answer, like 2 or 5, then that number is a real radical.

For example, the square root of 9 is 3. This means that 9 is a real radical because its square root is a real number. On the other hand, the square root of -9 is not a real number because no real number, when multiplied by itself, can give you a negative number. So, -9 is not a real radical.

Real radicals can be used in lots of math problems, such as solving equations or finding the area of a shape. So, always be on the lookout for real radicals in math problems, and remember that they are just numbers whose square roots are real numbers!