SSAT Upper Level Math : How to find the area of a parallelogram

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SSAT Upper Level Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Area Of A Parallelogram

A parallelogram has the base length of \(\displaystyle t\) and the altitude of \(\displaystyle 2t-1\). Give the area of the parallelogram.

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle t^2\)

\(\displaystyle 2t^2+t\)

\(\displaystyle 2t^2-t\)

\(\displaystyle t^2+t\)

\(\displaystyle 2t^2\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 2t^2-t\)

Explanation:

The area of a parallelogram is given by:

 

\(\displaystyle Area=ba\)

 

Where \(\displaystyle b\) is the base length and \(\displaystyle a\) is the corresponding altitude. So we can write:

 

\(\displaystyle Area=t(2t-1)=2t^2-t\)

Example Question #2 : Area Of A Parallelogram

A parallelogram has a base length of \(\displaystyle t\) which is 3 times longer than its corresponding altitude. The area of the parallelogram is 12 square inches. Give the \(\displaystyle t\).

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 4\)

\(\displaystyle 6\sqrt{3}\)

\(\displaystyle 6\sqrt{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 6\)

\(\displaystyle 5\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 6\)

Explanation:

Base length is \(\displaystyle t\) so the corresponding altitude is  \(\displaystyle \frac{t}{3}\).

 

The area of a parallelogram is given by:

 

\(\displaystyle Area=ba\)

 

Where:


\(\displaystyle b\) is the length of any base
\(\displaystyle a\) is the corresponding altitude

 

So we can write:

 

\(\displaystyle 12=t\times \frac{t}{3}\Rightarrow t\times t=12\times 3\Rightarrow t^2=36\Rightarrow t=6\)

\(\displaystyle t\times t=12\times 3\)

\(\displaystyle t^{2}=36\)

\(\displaystyle t=6\)

Example Question #822 : Geometry

The length of the shorter diagonal of a rhombus is 40% that of the longer diagonal. The area of the rhombus is \(\displaystyle K\). Give the length of the longer diagonal in terms of \(\displaystyle K\).

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{5K}\)

\(\displaystyle K\sqrt{\frac{5}{2}}\)

\(\displaystyle K\sqrt{\frac{2}{5}}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{5}\sqrt{K}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{\frac{5K}{2}}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{5K}\)

Explanation:

Let \(\displaystyle D\) be the length of the longer diagonal. Then the shorter diagonal has length 40% of this. Since 40% is equal to \(\displaystyle \frac{40}{100 } = \frac{40 \div 20 }{100 \div 20 } = \frac{2}{5}\), 40% of \(\displaystyle D\) is equal to \(\displaystyle \frac{2}{5}D\).

The area of a rhombus is half the product of the lengths of its diagonals, so we can set up, and solve for \(\displaystyle D\), in the equation:

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{2}{5}D \cdot D = K\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{5}D^{2}= K\)

\(\displaystyle 5\cdot \frac{1}{5}D^{2}=5\cdot K\)

\(\displaystyle D^{2}=5K\)

\(\displaystyle D =\sqrt{5K}\)

 

Example Question #2 : How To Find The Area Of A Parallelogram

The length of the shorter diagonal of a rhombus is two-thirds that of the longer diagonal. The area of the rhombus is \(\displaystyle Q\) square yards. Give the length of the longer diagonal, in inches, in terms of \(\displaystyle Q\).

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 3\sqrt{ 3Q}\)

\(\displaystyle 4\sqrt{ 3Q}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{ 3Q}\)

\(\displaystyle 12\sqrt{ 3Q}\)

\(\displaystyle 36\sqrt{ 3Q }\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 36\sqrt{ 3Q }\)

Explanation:

Let \(\displaystyle D\) be the length of the longer diagonal in yards. Then the shorter diagonal has length two-thirds of this, or \(\displaystyle \frac{2}{3}D\).

The area of a rhombus is half the product of the lengths of its diagonals, so we can set up the following equation and solve for \(\displaystyle D\):

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{2}{3}D \cdot D = Q\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{3}D ^{2} = Q\)

\(\displaystyle 3\cdot \frac{1}{3}D ^{2} = 3 \cdot Q\)

\(\displaystyle D ^{2} = 3Q\)

\(\displaystyle D = \sqrt{3Q}\)

To convert yards to inches, multiply by 36:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{ 3Q } \times 36 = 36\sqrt{ 3Q }\)

Example Question #3 : Area Of A Parallelogram

The longer diagonal of a rhombus is 20% longer than the shorter diagonal; the rhombus has area \(\displaystyle N\). Give the length of the shorter diagonal in terms of \(\displaystyle N\).

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{15N}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{ \frac{N}{5}}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{5N}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{ \frac{3N}{5}}\)

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{ \frac{5N}{3}}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \sqrt{ \frac{5N}{3}}\)

Explanation:

Let \(\displaystyle D\) be the length of the shorter diagonal. If the longer diagonal is 20% longer, then it measures 120% of the length of the shorter diagonal; this is 

\(\displaystyle \frac{120}{100} = \frac{120 \div 20}{100 \div 20} = \frac{6}{5}\)

of \(\displaystyle D\), or \(\displaystyle \frac{6}{5}D\).

The area of a rhombus is half the product of the lengths of its diagonals, so we can set up an equation and solve for \(\displaystyle D\):

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{2} \cdot \frac{6}{5}D \cdot D = N\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{3}{5}D^{2} = N\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{5}{3} \cdot \frac{3}{5}D^{2} = \frac{5}{3} \cdot N\)

\(\displaystyle D^{2} = \frac{5N}{3}\)

\(\displaystyle D =\sqrt{ \frac{5N}{3}}\)

Example Question #1 : Shape Properties

Which of the following shapes is NOT a quadrilateral? 

Possible Answers:

Kite

Triangle

Square

Rhombus

Rectangle 

Correct answer:

Triangle

Explanation:

A quadrilateral is any two-dimensional shape with  \(\displaystyle 4\) sides. The only shape listed that does not have \(\displaystyle 4\) sides is a triangle. 

Example Question #1 : Understand Categories And Subcategories Of Two Dimensional Figures: Ccss.Math.Content.5.G.B.3

What is the main difference between a square and a rectangle?

Possible Answers:

Their color 

The sum of their angles 

Their angle measurments

The number of sides they each have 

Their side lengths 

Correct answer:

Their side lengths 

Explanation:

The only difference between a rectangle and a square is their side lengths. A square has to have \(\displaystyle 4\) equal side lengths, but the opposite side lengths of a rectangle only have to be equal. 

Example Question #2 : Shape Properties

What is the main difference between a triangle and a rectangle?

Possible Answers:

The volume

The length of the sides

The color

The area

The number of sides

Correct answer:

The number of sides

Explanation:

Out of the choices given, the only characteristic used to describe shapes is the number of sides. A triangle has \(\displaystyle 3\) sides and a rectangle has \(\displaystyle 4\) sides. 

Example Question #1 : Understand Categories And Subcategories Of Two Dimensional Figures: Ccss.Math.Content.5.G.B.3

Which two shapes have to have \(\displaystyle 4\) right angles? 

Possible Answers:

Rectangle and Parallelogram

Square and Rectangle 

Square and Rhombus

Rectangle and Rhombus

Square and Parallelogram

Correct answer:

Square and Rectangle 

Explanation:

By definition, the only two quadrilaterals that have to have \(\displaystyle 4\) right angles, are the square and the rectangle. 

Example Question #5 : Shape Properties

Which of the shapes is NOT a quadrilateral? 

Possible Answers:

Rhombus

Trapezoid

Hexagon

Square

Rectangle 

Correct answer:

Hexagon

Explanation:

A quadrilateral is a \(\displaystyle 4\) sided shape. The only shape listed that does not have \(\displaystyle 4\) sides is a hexagon, which has \(\displaystyle 6\) sides. 

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