DEVICE AND METHOD FOR APPROXIMATING THE SQUARE ROOT OF A NUMBER

A device and method for approximating the square root of a binary number N. The device includes hardware for storing N, and a result register for storing x.sub.n, where x.sub.n is a successive approximation of r. The device also includes hardware for iteratively replacing x.sub.n with x.sub.n+1, starting with n=0, where x.sub.n+1 =(Ax.sub.n +N-x.sub.n.sup.2)/A, and x.sub.0 is within a predetermined range. "A" is a multiple of 2 so that an operation involving a product or quotient with "A" is effected by a shift operation.