How to calculate apothem?

Understand the Problem

The question is asking for the method to calculate the apothem of a polygon, which is the distance from the center of the polygon to the midpoint of one of its sides.

Answer

$\text{apothem} = \frac{s}{2 \tan(\pi / n)}$ or $\text{apothem} = R \cos(\pi / n)$
Answer for screen readers

The formula to calculate the apothem of a regular polygon can be either $\text{apothem} = \frac{s}{2 \tan(\pi / n)}$ or $\text{apothem} = R \cos(\pi / n)$

Steps to Solve

  1. Identify the given values and the type of polygon

The formula to calculate the apothem depends on the type of polygon (regular polygon). For a regular polygon, the apothem can be calculated using the side length or the number of sides (n) and the circumradius (R).

  1. Use the formula for the apothem with the side length

If you know the side length ( $$s$$) and the number of sides ( $$n$$) of the regular polygon, use the formula: $$ ext{apothem} = \frac{s}{2 \tan(\pi / n)}$$

  1. Use the formula for the apothem with the circumradius

If you know the circumradius ( $$R$$) and the number of sides ( $$n$$): $$ ext{apothem} = R \cos(\pi / n)$$

The formula to calculate the apothem of a regular polygon can be either $\text{apothem} = \frac{s}{2 \tan(\pi / n)}$ or $\text{apothem} = R \cos(\pi / n)$

More Information

The apothem is an important part of polygon geometry, especially in calculating the area of regular polygons.

Tips

A common mistake is confusing the length of the side (s) and the circumradius (R). Make sure you use the correct formula for the given values.

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