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Finding square roots in Macromedia Flash

Product: Flash
Platform: All
Versions: 4.0 and above
ID: 14250
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This TechNote discusses how to use ActionScript to find the square root of a number. The TechNote covers using the Math Object, introduced in Macromedia Flash 5, and using Macromedia Flash 4 ActionScript to find the square root of an input number.

In the Macromedia Flash movie below, the original value is entered into an input text field by the user. Pressing a button will yield the square root of the entered number.

To build the square root calculator using the Math Object:
1 Create an input text field. Give it the variable name "value". This will be the entry field for the original value.
2 Create an dynamic text field to hold the result. Give it the variable name "squareRoot". This will be the display field for the square root result.
3

Select the button instance and bring up the Actions panel.

Enter the following ActionScript code:

on (release) {
squareRoot=Math.sqrt (value)
}

Note: This script uses the Math Object's sqrt method which returns the square root of a specified number.

 

To build the square root calculator using Flash 4:

1 Create an editable text field. Select the text field's properties and give it the variable name "value". This will be the entry field for the original value.
2 Create an editable text field to hold the result. Select the text field's properties and give it the variable name "squareRoot". This will be the display field for the square root result.
3

Double-click the button instance to access the Instance Properties dialog.

Select the Actions tab. Enter the following ActionScript code:

   On (Release)
          Set Variable: "i" = "0" 
          Set Variable: "x" = "1" 
          Loop While (i < 20) 
            Set Variable: "x" = x-((x*x-value)/(2*x)) 
            Set Variable: "i" = i+1 
            End Loop 
          Set Variable: "squareRoot" = x 
  End On 

Note: This script uses the variables 'value' and 'squareRoot' from steps 1 and 2, which have been colorized for clarity. Be certain all of the "Value" fields in Set Variable actions are set to "Expression".

Additional information
For more detail on working with editable text fields, please refer to Using type blocks and text fields in Flash (TechNote 14154). For other math functions in Flash, try John Croteau's "Trig Functions" article.

 



Last updated: May 8, 2002
Keywords: ActionScript, action, square root, trigonometry, trig, calculate, math formula, sine, cosine, tangent, division, divide
Created: January 18, 2000
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