SSAT Upper Level Math : How to find the perimeter of a square

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

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Example Questions

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

The sidelength of a square is equal to \displaystyle 2t - 17. Give its perimeter in terms of \displaystyle t.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 8t - 68

\displaystyle 6t - 51

\displaystyle 2t - 68

\displaystyle 4t - 34

\displaystyle 8t - 17

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 8t - 68

Explanation:

The perimeter of a square is four times its sidelength, so the perimeter of this square is

\displaystyle 4\left ( 2t - 17 \right ) = 4 \cdot 2t - 4 \cdot17 = 8t - 68.

Example Question #12 : Perimeter Of Polygons

Half of the side length of a square is equal to \displaystyle t+1.

Give its perimeter in terms of \displaystyle t.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 2t+4

\displaystyle 4t+4

\displaystyle 4t+8

\displaystyle 2t+8

\displaystyle 8t+8

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 8t+8

Explanation:

Perimeter of a square is four times the length of a side. The half-length of each side is equal to \displaystyle t+1 that means the side length is equal to:

\displaystyle 2(t+1)=2t+2

 

So we can write:

 

\displaystyle Perimeter=4(2t+2)=8t+8

Example Question #2 : How To Find The Perimeter Of A Square

The perimeter of a square is equal to 64 meters. Give the length of each side in centimeters.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 800

\displaystyle 16

\displaystyle 80

\displaystyle 1600

\displaystyle 160

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 1600

Explanation:

Perimeter of a square is four times the length of a side. The perimeter is known here and equal to 64 meters. So we can write:

 

\displaystyle Perimeter=64=4a

 

where \displaystyle a is the length of each side. So we have:

 

\displaystyle 64=4a\Rightarrow a=16

 

The length of each side is 16 meters. There are 100 centimeters in a meter. So we get:

 

\displaystyle a=16\times 100=1600\ cm

Example Question #14 : Perimeter Of Polygons

The side length of a square is equal to \displaystyle 4t+7. What is its perimeter in terms of \displaystyle t ?

 

 

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 16t+28

\displaystyle 6t+14

\displaystyle 16t^2+56t+49

\displaystyle 12t+21

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 16t+28

Explanation:

The perimeter is the total distance around the outside, which can be found by adding together the length of each side. In the case of a square, all four sides have the same length, so the perimeter is four times the length of a side. So we can write:

Perimeter of square = \displaystyle 4a, where \displaystyle a is the length of a side.

In this problem:

 

\displaystyle a=4t+7\Rightarrow Perimeter = 4(4t+7)=16t+28

Example Question #781 : Geometry

The length of each side of the square is \displaystyle x-8. What is the perimeter of the square?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 4x

\displaystyle 32

\displaystyle 4x-32

\displaystyle 4x-8

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 4x-32

Explanation:

To find the perimter of a square, multiply the side length by 4.

\displaystyle 4(x-8)=4x-32

Example Question #3 : How To Find The Perimeter Of A Square

A square has a diagonal length of \displaystyle 4\sqrt{2} units. What is its perimeter?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 26 units

\displaystyle 16 units

\displaystyle 24 units

\displaystyle 32 units

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 16 units

Explanation:

12

Since the diagonal of a squre is also the hypotenuse of a right triangle whose legs are the sides of the square, use the Pythagorean Theorem to find out the lengths of the sides of the square.

\displaystyle (4\sqrt2)^2=\text{side}^2+\text{side}^2

\displaystyle 32=2(\text{side}^2)

\displaystyle 16=\text{side}^2

\displaystyle 4=\text{side}

Now, multiply the side length by 4 to find the perimter.

\displaystyle 4\times4=16

Example Question #4 : How To Find The Perimeter Of A Square

The area of a square is \displaystyle 400\: m^2. What is the perimeter of the square?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 60\:m

\displaystyle 20\:m

\displaystyle 40\:m

\displaystyle 80\:m

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 80\:m

Explanation:

To figure out the perimeter, we need to first find the length of 1 side of the square. 

Find the length of a side of the square using the information given about the area.

\displaystyle \text{Area}=(\text{side length})^2

\displaystyle 400\:m^2=(\text{side length})^2

\displaystyle \text{side length}=20\: m

Now, multiply the side length by 4.

\displaystyle 20\times4=80\:m

Example Question #4 : How To Find The Perimeter Of A Square

The diagonal of a square is \displaystyle 6\sqrt{2} \: cm. Find the perimeter of the square.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 12\sqrt{2}\:cm^2

\displaystyle 30\:cm^2

\displaystyle 24\:cm^2

\displaystyle 24\sqrt{2}\:cm^2

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 24\:cm^2

Explanation:

The diagonal of a square is also the hypotenuse of a triangle whose legs are two sides of the square. Using that information, we can find the length of each side of the square.

\displaystyle (6\sqrt{2})^2=(\text{side})^2+(\text{side})^2

\displaystyle 72=2(\text{side})^2

\displaystyle 36=\text{side}^2

\displaystyle 6\: cm=\text{side}

 

Now, multiply the side length by 4 to find the perimeter.

\displaystyle 6\:cm\times4\:cm=24\:cm^2

Example Question #9 : How To Find The Perimeter Of A Square

Track

The track at Harriet Beecher Stowe High School is a perfect square of with diagonal 600 feet, and is shown in the above figure. Beginning at point A, Corinne runs around the track clockwise three complete times, then contunes to run until she reaches point B. Which of the following comes closest to the distance Corinne runs?

You will need to know that \displaystyle \sqrt {2} \approx 1.4.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

A square with diagonal 600 feet will have as its sidelength 

\displaystyle 600 \div \sqrt {2 } \approx 600 \div 1.4 = 429 feet.

If Corinne runs the entire perimeter of the square three times, and then runs on to Point B, she will run this distance a total of about \displaystyle 14 \frac{3}{4} times. This is a total of

\displaystyle 429 \times 14 \frac{3}{4} \approx 6,328 feet.

Divide by 5,280 to convert to miles:

\displaystyle 6,328 \div 5,280 \approx 1.2

The closest response is 1 mile.

Example Question #6 : How To Find The Perimeter Of A Square

Track

The track at Frederick Douglass High School is a perfect square of with diagonal 400 feet, and is shown in the above figure. Julia wants to run around the track for one mile. If Julia starts at point A and runs clockwise, where will she be after she has run for a mile?

A hint: \displaystyle \sqrt {2} \approx 1.414

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle A

\displaystyle E

\displaystyle D

\displaystyle B

\displaystyle C

Correct answer:

\displaystyle D

Explanation:

A square with diagonal 400 feet will have as its sidelength 

\displaystyle 400 \div \sqrt {2 } \approx 400 \div 1.414 = 283 feet.

Julia wants to run one mile, or 5,280 feet; this will be

\displaystyle 5,280 \div 283 \approx 18.7 sidelengths.

Julia will run around the track four times, then another 2 sidelengths. She will then run seven-tenths of the length of the "bottom" side, ending up at point D.

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