All PSAT Math Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #2 : How To Find An Angle In A Polygon
In the figure above, polygon ABDFHGEC is a regular octagon. What is the measure, in degrees, of angle FHI?
45
50
30
60
40
45
Angle FHI is the supplement of angle FHG, which is an interior angle in the octagon. When two angles are supplementary, their sum is equal to 180 degrees. If we can find the measure of each interior angle in the octagon, then we can find the supplement of angle FHG, which will give us the measure of angle FHI.
The sum of the interior angles in a regular polygon is given by the formula 180(n – 2), where n is the number of sides in the polygon. An octagon has eight sides, so the sum of the angles of the octagon is 180(8 – 2) = 180(6) = 1080 degrees. Because the octagon is regular, all of its sides and angles are congruent. Thus, the measure of each angle is equal to the sum of its angles divided by 8. Therefore, each angle in the polygon has a measure of 1080/8 = 135 degrees. This means that angle FHG has a measure of 135 degrees.
Now that we know the measure of angle FHG, we can find the measure of FHI. The sum of the measures of FHG and FHI must be 180 degrees, because the two angles form a line and are supplementary. We can write the following equation:
Measure of FHG + measure of FHI = 180
135 + measure of FHI = 180
Subtract 135 from both sides.
Measure of FHI = 45 degrees.
The answer is 45.
Example Question #2 : Other Polygons
What is the measure of each angle in a regular octagon?
An octagon contains six triangles, or 1080 degrees. This means with 8 angles, each angle is 135 degrees.
Example Question #3 : How To Find An Angle In A Polygon
What is the measure of each central angle of an octagon?
There are 360 degrees and 8 angles, so dividing leaves 45 degrees per angle.
Example Question #421 : Geometry
Note: Figure NOT drawn to scale.
Refer to the above figure. is equilateral and Pentagon is regular.
Evaluate .
By angle addition,
is an angle of a reguar pentagon, so its measure is .
To find , first we find .
By angle addition,
is an angle of a regular pentagon and has measure .
, as an angle of an equilateral triangle, has measure .
is equilateral, so ; Pentagon is regular, so . Therefore, , and by the Isosceles Triangle Theorem, .
The degree measures of three angles of a triangle total , so:
Since
we have
Example Question #421 : Geometry
Pentagon is regular. If diagonal is drawn, which of the following describes Quadrilateral ?
Quadrilateral is a trapezoid.
Quadrilateral is a rectangle but not a rhombus.
Quadrilateral is a parallelogram but neither a rectangle nor a rhombus.
Quadrilateral is a rhombus but not a rectangle.
None of the other responses is correct.
Quadrilateral is a trapezoid.
The figure described is below.
Each of the angles of the pentagon has measure
is an isosceles triangle, and , so
and
Since
,
and by the parallel postulate,
Quadrilateral has exactly one pair of parallel sides, so it is a trapezoid.
Example Question #1 : Other Polygons
If the following shape was going to be drawn in a circle, what is the minimum radius of the circle?
10
8
11
7
9
7
IF you draw the longest diagonal across the shape, the length of it is 13.4. This means the radius must be at least 6.7. The answer is 7.
Example Question #1 : How To Find The Length Of A Side Of A Polygon
Note: Figure NOT drawn to scale.
The above polygon has perimeter 190. Evaluate .
To get the expression equivalent to the perimeter, add the lengths of the sides:
Since the perimeter is 190, we can simplify this to
and solve as follows:
Example Question #21 : Other Polygons
Note: Figure NOT drawn to scale.
The perimeter of the above polygon is 225. Also, .
Evaluate .
Insufficient information exists to answer the question.
To get the expression equivalent to the perimeter, add the lengths of the sides:
Since the perimeter is 225, we can simplify this to
and, furthermore, since ,
Example Question #421 : Geometry
Regular Octagon has sidelength 1.
Give the length of diagonal .
The trick is to construct segments perpendicular to from and , calling the points of intersection and respectively.
Each interior angle of a regular octagon measures
,
and by symmetry, ,
so .
This makes and triangles.
Since their hypotenuses are sides of the octagon with length 1, then their legs - in particular, and - have length .
Also, since a rectangle was formed when the perpendiculars were drawn, .
The length of diagonal is
.
Example Question #1 : How To Find The Length Of A Diagonal Of A Polygon
Regular Polygon (a twelve-sided polygon, or dodecagon) has sidelength 1.
Give the length of diagonal to the nearest tenth.
The trick is to construct segments perpendicular to from and , calling the points of intersection and respectively.
Each interior angle of a regular dodecagon measures
.
Since and are perpendicular to , it can be shown via symmetry that they are also perpendicular to . Therefore,
and both measure
and and are triangles with long legs and . Since their hypotenuses are sides of the dodecagon and therefore have length 1,
.
Also, since Quadrilateral is a rectangle, .
The length of diagonal is.
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