Write an algorithm to find the square of a number.

Question

Accepted Answer

> [!TLDR]
> Input the number, multiply it by itself, output the product — the minimal three-step input–process–output algorithm.

**The idea.** Squaring means multiplying a number by itself, so the whole algorithm is one arithmetic step wrapped in input and output. It is the cleanest illustration of the universal algorithm skeleton: **input → process → output**.

**Algorithm**

```
SQUARE_OF_NUMBER
Step 1: INPUT num
Step 2: COMPUTE square = num * num
Step 3: PRINT "Square of the number =", square
END
```

**Flowchart in words:** Start (rounded rectangle) → Input num (parallelogram) → square = num × num (rectangle) → Output square (parallelogram) → Stop (rounded rectangle).

**Python verification**

```python
num = float(input("Enter a number: "))
square = num * num
print("Square of", num, "is", square)
```

**Sample runs**

```
Enter a number: 7
Square of 7.0 is 49.0
```

``` …

Type of $a$	Example	$a^2$	Why?
Positive integer	$3$	$3^2 = 9$	$3 \times 3$
Negative integer	$-4$	$(-4)^2 = 16$	$(-4) \times (-4) = 16$ (negative $\times$ negative = positive)
Zero	$0$	$0^2 = 0$	$0 \times 0$
Fraction	$\frac{1}{2}$	$\left(\frac{1}{2}\right)^2 = \frac{1}{4}$	$\frac{1}{2} \times \frac{1}{2}$
Decimal	$0.3$	$0.3^2 = 0.09$	$0.3 \times 0.3$

$n$	$n^2$
1	1
2	4
3	9
4	16
5	25
6	36

Q.Write an algorithm to find the square of a number.

Concept understanding — Squaring A Number

Squaring a Number – From Intuition to Precision

The Precise Statement

What Happens with Different Types of Numbers?

Why Does Squaring a Negative Give a Positive?

The Perfect Squares

Q.Write an algorithm to find the square of a number.

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