What operation is used to find the square of a number?

To find the square of a number, the operation performed is multiplication of the number by itself. This process is defined mathematically as ( n^2 ), where ( n ) represents the number in question. For example, if you take the number 4 and square it, you calculate ( 4 \times 4 ), which equals 16. This operation is foundational in mathematics and appears frequently in various fields, including physics, engineering, and computer science, where understanding the concept of squaring enables problem-solving in areas such as area calculations, exponents, and functions.

The other operations do not result in squaring. Subtracting a number from itself results in zero, adding a number to itself simply doubles it, and dividing a number by itself gives one, provided that the number is not zero. Overall, multiplication of a number by itself is the concise and accurate method to determine its square.