Final answer:
The square root of a perfect square is a rational number and an integer. For instance, √16 equals 4, which is both rational and an integer. Thus, the square root of a perfect square is best classified as an integer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The square root of a perfect square is always classified as a rational number and can be further classified as an integer because when you take the square root of a perfect square, the result is a whole number without any fractional or decimal part. For example, the square root of 16, which is a perfect square, is 4. This value is both rational and an integer. Moreover, if the perfect square happens to be a positive integer, then the square root can also be a natural number, which is the set of positive integers starting from 1.
However, for this specific question, if we must choose one option that describes the type of number the square root of a perfect square can be classified as, Option C, an integer, is the most precise answer as it captures the whole number aspect of the square root of a perfect square.