Re: computing square root by hand -- no sqrt (golf, beginner)

[japhy]

Golfing to 59:

($n,$_)=@ARGV;{$l^($_=($_+$n/$_)/2)||exit print;$l=$_;redo}

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Jeff[japhy]Pinyan: Perl, regex, and perl hacker, who'd like a job (NYC-area)
s++=END;++y(;-P)}y js++=;shajsj<++y(p-q)}?print:??;

[jynx]

a reinterpretation of japhy's solution gives 54:

$_=pop;$l^$_?$l=$_:die"$_\n"while$_=($_+$ARGV[0]/$_)/2

jynx

update: this works at 53:

$_=pop;$l^$_?$l=$_:die"$_\n"while($_+=$ARGV[0]/$_)/=2

update2: using the comma instead of quotes for die it's 52:

$_=pop;$l^$_?$l=$_:die$_,$/while($_+=$ARGV[0]/$_)/=2