Square of 16
16 squared equals 256. Squares appear in area calculations, the Pythagorean theorem, and statistics (variance uses squared distances).
Squares obey quiet rules. Divided by 9, a square only ever leaves 0, 1, 4 or 7 — 4 here. On the last digit, squares end only in 0, 1, 4, 5, 6 or 9, and 6 fits. Between its neighbors, 225 sits 31 below and 289 sits 33 above — the square ladder widens by exactly two at every step. Double the base and the square quadruples: 32² = 1024, which is 4 × 256. Two anchors most worth memorizing in this range are 12² = 144 and 15² = 225 — the odd-step rule above is why knowing them pays off, because from any anchor the next square is one step along this page's ladder.
| Expression | Value |
|---|---|
| 16² | 256 |
Frequently asked questions
What is 16 squared?
16 squared is 256, because 16 × 16 = 256. The exponent 2 is why it is written 16².
What is 17 squared, next to 16²?
17² = 289, which is 33 more than 16² = 256. Each step up adds double the base plus one.
Where do squares show up in real problems?
Area of a square with side 16, distance in the Pythagorean theorem, and variance in statistics all use squared values.