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#1 2006-10-20 02:26:23

Toast
Real Member
Registered: 2006-10-08
Posts: 1,321

Areas of Regular Polygons

How would I go about finding the area of a regular hexagon if I only know the side lengths, which are, say, 8cm? Can you please explain how you got the result.

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#2 2006-10-20 03:23:01

Devantè
Real Member
Registered: 2006-07-14
Posts: 6,400

Re: Areas of Regular Polygons

If you know the length of just one side of a regular hexagon, you can use that information to calculate the area of the equilateral triangle that uses the side. To find the area of the hexagon, simply multiply the area of that triangle by 6.

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#3 2006-10-20 03:49:30

mathsyperson
Moderator
Registered: 2005-06-22
Posts: 4,900

Re: Areas of Regular Polygons

You could also use the uber-cool formula for working out the area of any regular polygon with its side length.

Where n is the number of sides and s is the side length.

In your case, that would be

, which works out to be 96√3cm².


Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.

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#4 2006-10-20 03:59:42

Devantè
Real Member
Registered: 2006-07-14
Posts: 6,400

Re: Areas of Regular Polygons

Or, using my method, 192cm², which is (32x2), because if one side of an equilateral triangle is 8cm, then the rule for finding the area of an equilateral triangle gives us 32cm. Multiply that by 6 and you get your desired result/answer.

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#5 2006-10-20 04:10:41

mathsyperson
Moderator
Registered: 2005-06-22
Posts: 4,900

Re: Areas of Regular Polygons

The rule you're using to find the area of your triangle doesn't work, Devanté. The height of an equilateral triangle isn't the same as its side length.


Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.

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