Evaluate. Write your answer as a decimal or whole number.
$(0.6)^2=$
The objective is to evaluate the expression \((0.6)^2\). Squaring a number means multiplying it by itself. Therefore, \((0.6)^2 = 0.6 \times 0.6\). To perform this calculation, we can treat the numbers as whole numbers first and then adjust for the decimal placement. Multiplying 6 by 6 gives 36. Since each 0.6 has one decimal place, the final product must have \(1 + 1 = 2\) decimal places. Consequently, placing the decimal point in 36 to have two decimal places results in 0.36. Alternatively, expressing 0.6 as a fraction, we have \(0.6 = \frac{6}{10}\). Squaring this yields \(\left(\frac{6}{10}\right)^2 = \frac{6^2}{10^2} = \frac{36}{100} = 0.36\).
Squaring decimals is frequently used in calculating areas or probabilities. For example, if you have a square piece of fabric with side lengths of 0.6 meters, calculating the total area requires squaring the side length: \(Area = side \times side = 0.6 \, m \times 0.6 \, m = 0.36 \, m^2\). This skill is essential for everyday measurements and geometric applications.