High School Math : Squares

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for High School Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Length Of The Side Of A Square

The area of square R is 12 times the area of square T. If the area of square R is 48, what is the length of one side of square T?

 

Possible Answers:

16

4

1

2

Correct answer:

2

Explanation:

We start by dividing the area of square R (48) by 12, to come up with the area of square T, 4.  Then take the square root of the area to get the length of one side, giving us 2.

 

 

Example Question #31 : Squares

When the side of a certain square is increased by 2 inches, the area of the resulting square is 64 sq. inches greater than the original square.  What is the length of the side of the original square, in inches?

Possible Answers:

15

14

16

18

17

Correct answer:

15

Explanation:

Let x represent the length of the original square in inches.  Thus the area of the original square is x2.  Two inches are added to x, which is represented by x+2.  The area of the resulting square is (x+2)2.  We are given that the new square is 64 sq. inches greater than the original.  Therefore  we can write the algebraic expression:

x2 + 64 = (x+2)2

FOIL the right side of the equation.

x2 + 64 = x2 + 4x + 4 

Subtract xfrom both sides and then continue with the alegbra.

64 = 4x + 4

64 = 4(x + 1)

16 = x + 1

15 = x

Therefore, the length of the original square is 15 inches.

 

If you plug in the answer choices, you would need to add 2 inches to the value of the answer choice and then take the difference of two squares.  The choice with 15 would be correct because 172 -152 = 64.

 

 

 

Example Question #261 : Geometry

If the area of a square is 25 inches squared, what is the perimeter?

Possible Answers:

10

15

25

20

Not enough information

Correct answer:

20

Explanation:

The area of a square is equal to length times width or length squared (since length and width are equal on a square). Therefore, the length of one side is l = \sqrt{25in^{2}}\displaystyle l = \sqrt{25in^{2}} or l=5 in.\displaystyle l=5 in. The perimeter of a square is the sum of the length of all 4 sides or 4 \times 5 in. =20 in.\displaystyle 4 \times 5 in. =20 in.

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Length Of The Side Of A Square

Circleinsquare

A square is inscribed inside a circle, as illustrated above. The radius of the circle is \displaystyle \frac{3\sqrt{2}}{2} units. If all of the square's diagonals pass through the circle's center, what is the area of the square?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 3 units squared

\displaystyle \frac{9}{2} units squared

\displaystyle 18 units squared

\displaystyle 9 units squared

\displaystyle \frac{9}{4} units squared

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 9 units squared

Explanation:

Given that the square's diagonals pass through the circle's center, those diagonals must each form a diameter of the circle. The circle's diameter is twice its radius, i.e. \displaystyle 2 \times \frac{3\sqrt{2}}{2}, which is \displaystyle 3\sqrt{2}. Since this diameter (i.e., the square's diagonal) is the hypotenuse of a right triangle formed by two sides of the square, the length of one of the square's sides can be calculated with the Pythagorean Theorem. \displaystyle s replace \displaystyle a and \displaystyle b because the sides of the square must be equal in length. Since the objective is to solve for the square's area, solve for \displaystyle s^2 since one side squared will be the square's area.

\displaystyle s^2 + s^2 = (3\sqrt{2})^2

\displaystyle \rightarrow 2s^2 = 18

\displaystyle \rightarrow s^2 = 9 units squared

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