What is the Diagonal of a Square?
The diagonal of a square is a line segment that connects two opposite vertices of the square. It runs through the center of the square, dividing it into two congruent right triangles.
What is the Formula to Calculate the Diagonal of a Square?
The formula to calculate the diagonal of a square is derived from the Pythagorean theorem, which states that in a right triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse (the longest side) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.
For a square, where all sides are equal, the formula to calculate the diagonal (d) is:
d = s * √2
- d represents the length of the diagonal
- s represents the length of one side of the square
- √2 represents the square root of 2 (approximately 1.414)
Now that we understand the formula, let’s move on to the calculation process.
Step-by-Step Calculation Process
- Step 1: Determine the length of one side of the square (s). For example, let’s say the side length is 5 meters.
- Step 2: Use the formula d = s * √2 to calculate the diagonal.
- Step 3: Substitute the value of s into the formula: d = 5 * √2.
- Step 4: Calculate the value of √2. (√2 is approximately 1.414)
- Step 5: Multiply the side length (5) by the calculated value of √2. d = 5 * 1.414 = 7.07 meters.
Calculating the diagonal of a square is a straightforward process using the formula d = s * √2. By following the step-by-step calculation process, we can determine the length of the diagonal accurately. The diagonal is an important measurement in various fields, including construction, engineering, and design. Understanding how to calculate it can be useful in solving a variety of mathematical problems.