Question

Find the smallest number by which 180 must be multiplied so that it becomes a perfect square. Also, find the square root of the perfect square so obtained.

Answer 1

The prime factorisation of 180:
180 = 2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 5
Grouping the factors into pairs of equal factors, we get:
180 = (2 x 2) x (3 x 3) x 5
The factor, 5 does not have a pair. Therefore, we must multiply 180 by 5 to make a perfect square. The new number is:
(2 x 2) x (3 x 3) x (5 x 5) = 900
Taking one factor from each pair on the LHS, the square root of the new number is 2 x 3 x 5, which is equal to 30.