ISEE Upper Level Quantitative : How to find the length of the diagonal of a rhombus

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ISEE Upper Level Quantitative

varsity tutors app store varsity tutors android store

Example Questions

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Length Of The Diagonal Of A Rhombus

A rhombus has sidelength ten inches; one of its diagonals is one foot long. Which is the greater quantity?

(a) The length of the other diagonal

(B) One and one-half feet

Possible Answers:

(A) and (B) are equal

(A) is greater

(B) is greater

It is impossible to determine which is greater from the information given

Correct answer:

(B) is greater

Explanation:

The diagonals of a rhombus are each other's perpendicular bisector, so, as can be seen in the diagram below, one side of a rhombus and one half of each diagonal form a right triangle. If the other diagonal has length , then the right triangle has hypotenuse 10 inches and legs one-half of one foot and  - that is, six inches and .

Rhombus_2

This triangle fits the well-known Pythagorean triple of 6-8-10, so

 

The other diagonal measures 16 inches. One and one-half feet is equal to 18 inches, making (B) greater.

 

Learning Tools by Varsity Tutors