Questions: 7. Find the exact length of one side of a square with a diagonal that measures 16 centimeters.
Transcript text: 7. Find the exact length of one side of a square with a diagonal that measures 16 centimeters.
Solution
Solution Steps
To find the length of one side of a square given its diagonal, we can use the Pythagorean theorem. In a square, the diagonal forms a right triangle with two sides of the square. If \( s \) is the side length and \( d \) is the diagonal, then \( d = s\sqrt{2} \). Solving for \( s \), we get \( s = \frac{d}{\sqrt{2}} \).
Step 1: Identify the relationship between the side length and the diagonal
In a square, the diagonal forms a right triangle with two sides of the square. Using the Pythagorean theorem, we know that for a square with side length \( s \) and diagonal \( d \):
\[ d = s\sqrt{2} \]
Step 2: Solve for the side length
To find the side length \( s \), we rearrange the equation:
\[ s = \frac{d}{\sqrt{2}} \]
Step 3: Substitute the given diagonal length
Given that the diagonal \( d \) is 16 cm, we substitute this value into the equation: