Math
SQRT function: calculate square roots, diagonal distances, and standard error
Compute principal square roots for geometry, EOQ inventory sizing, and sample standard error (s / SQRT(n)) with SQRT.
Diagonal span and sample standard error
SQRT(number) returns the non-negative square root of number. In warehouse layout, SQRT(Width^2 + Length^2) gives the corner-to-corner diagonal brace length; in statistics, dividing sample StDev by SQRT(n) gives the standard error of the mean.
The standard-error expression assumes independent observations with a common variance and a positive sample size. Correlated readings require a different uncertainty model.
| BayWidth (A) | BayLength (B) | SampleSD (D) | SampleSize (E) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 12 | 18 | 36 |
Calculate diagonal length and standard error
For a 9m by 12m bay, SQRT(9^2 + 12^2) = SQRT(225) = 15m. For SampleSD = 18 across n = 36 readings, standard error is 18 / SQRT(36) = 3.
=SQRT(A2^2 + B2^2)Negative inputs return #NUM!
Because no real number squared is negative, passing a negative number to SQRT returns #NUM!. Wrap with SQRT(ABS(x)) only when magnitude is intended.
=SQRT(-16)Try the example
Use the original values or change them to test your understanding.