ACT Math : Rhombuses

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : How To Find The Length Of The Side Of A Rhombus

A rhombus has two perpendicular interior diagonal lines, each with endpoints that are the vertex of opposite interior angles. The diagonals have lengths of  \(\displaystyle 5\) and \(\displaystyle 12\). Find the length for one side of the rhombus. 

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 5.5\)

\(\displaystyle 6.5\)

\(\displaystyle 7.5\)

\(\displaystyle 17\)

\(\displaystyle 7\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 6.5\)

Explanation:

This problem provides the lengths of the two perpendicular interior diagonal lines in the rhombus. To use this information to find the length of one side of the rhombus, apply the formula:  

\(\displaystyle s=\frac{\sqrt{a^2+b^2}}{2}\)

where \(\displaystyle s=\) the length of one side, and both \(\displaystyle a\) and \(\displaystyle b\) each represent one of the perpendicular diagonal lines. 

The solution is: 

\(\displaystyle s=\frac{\sqrt{5^2+12^2}}{2}=\frac{\sqrt{25+144}}{2}=\frac{\sqrt{169}}{2}=\frac{13}{2}=6.5\)

Example Question #226 : Quadrilaterals

A rhombus has a perimeter of \(\displaystyle 68\). Find the length for one side of the rhombus. 

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 17\)

\(\displaystyle 8\)

\(\displaystyle 8.5\)

\(\displaystyle 19\)

\(\displaystyle 14\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 17\)

Explanation:

To solve this problem, apply the perimeter formula for a rhombus: \(\displaystyle P=4S\)
Note that the perimeter formula for a rhombus is the same formula used to find the perimeter of a square. This is because both shapes, by definition, have \(\displaystyle 4\) equivalent sides. The total perimeter is the sum of all \(\displaystyle 4\) sides. 

The primary differentiation between rhombuses and squares is that latter must have four interior right angles. Although the four interior angles of a rhombus must also equal a sum of 360 degrees, the interior angles inside of a rhombus do not need to be right angles. Instead, the adjacent interior angles of a rhombus must be supplementary angles.

By applying the perimeter formula, the solution is: 

\(\displaystyle 68=4S\)

\(\displaystyle s=\frac{68}{4}=17\)

Check:

\(\displaystyle 17\times4=68\)

Each side of the rhombus must equal \(\displaystyle 17\).

Example Question #227 : Quadrilaterals

A rhombus has a perimeter of \(\displaystyle 352\). Find the length for one side of the rhombus.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 42\)

\(\displaystyle 88\)

\(\displaystyle 44\)

\(\displaystyle 74\)

\(\displaystyle 46\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 88\)

Explanation:

The perimeter formula for a rhombus is the same formula used to find the perimeter of a square. This is because both shapes, by definition, have \(\displaystyle 4\) equivalent sides. Thus, the total perimeter is the sum of all \(\displaystyle 4\) sides. 

The primary differentiation between rhombuses and squares is that latter must have four interior right angles. Although the four interior angles of a rhombus must also equal a sum of 360 degrees, the interior angles inside of a rhombus do not need to be right angles. Instead, the adjacent interior angles of a rhombus must be supplementary angles.

To solve this problem, apply the perimeter formula for a rhombus: \(\displaystyle P=4S\)
By applying the perimeter formula, the solution is:

\(\displaystyle 352=4(s)\)

\(\displaystyle s=\frac{352}{4}=88\)

Check:

\(\displaystyle 88\times4=352\)

Example Question #1 : How To Find If Rhombuses Are Similar

A quadrilateral ABCD has diagonals that are perpendicular bisectors of one another. Which of the following classifications must apply to quadrilateral ABCD?

 

I. parallelogram

II. rhombus

III. square

 

 

Possible Answers:

II and III only

I, II, and III

I and II only

I and III only

Correct answer:

I and II only

Explanation:

If the diagonals of a quadrilateral are perpendicular bisectors of one another, then the quadrilateral must be a rhombus, but not necessarily a square. Since all rhombi are also parallelograms, quadrilateral ABCD must be both a rhombus and parallelogram.

 

 

Example Question #461 : Plane Geometry

Rhomboids

Are the two rhombuses in the above picture similar?

Possible Answers:

Not enough information to decide.

Maybe

No

Yes

Correct answer:

No

Explanation:

Two shapes are similar to each other if they are the same except for differences in scaling. This means that all of the angles of one shape have to be the same as the angles of the other shape, and all the sides have to be proportional to each other. For example, if we have two rectangles A and B, where A has side lengths 2 and 4, and B has side lengths 5 and 10, A and B are similar because the ratio between 2 and 4 is the same as the ratio between 5 and 10, and also the ratio between 2 and 5 is the same as the ratio between 4 and 10. Everything is proportional (and all the angles are the same) so the two rectangles A and B are similar.

The two rhombuses in our figure are not similar to each other, because we can see the larger angle in the rhombus on the left is not the same as the larger angle in the rhombus on the right. If we scaled the larger rhombus down and tried to cover up the smaller rhombus with it, it wouldn't work because they aren't proportional to each other.

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