How to find the area of a decagon?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking how to calculate the area of a decagon, which is a ten-sided polygon. This involves using the appropriate geometric formulas or methods suitable for polygons, particularly for regular decagons where all sides and angles are equal.
Answer
$A \approx 7.69425 s^2$
Answer for screen readers
The area of a regular decagon can be expressed as $A \approx 7.69425 s^2$, where $s$ is the length of one side.
Steps to Solve
- Identify the Formula for Area of a Regular Decagon
For a regular decagon, the area can be calculated using the formula:
$$ A = \frac{5}{2} s^2 \cot\left(\frac{\pi}{10}\right) $$
Where $s$ is the length of one side of the decagon.
- Calculate the Value of $\cot\left(\frac{\pi}{10}\right)$
To proceed, calculate the value of $\cot\left(\frac{\pi}{10}\right)$.
$$ \cot\left(\frac{\pi}{10}\right) = \frac{1}{\tan\left(\frac{\pi}{10}\right)} $$
Using a calculator or trigonometric tables, we get:
$$ \cot\left(\frac{\pi}{10}\right) \approx 3.0777 $$
- Substitute Side Length into the Area Formula
Once we have the value for $s$, substitute it into the area formula along with the calculated value of $\cot\left(\frac{\pi}{10}\right)$ to find the area:
$$ A = \frac{5}{2} s^2 (3.0777) $$
- Final Calculation for Area
Multiply and simplify to find the final area:
$$ A \approx 7.69425 s^2 $$
Thus, if you have a specific side length $s$, you can plug it in to find the area of your decagon.
The area of a regular decagon can be expressed as $A \approx 7.69425 s^2$, where $s$ is the length of one side.
More Information
The formula for the area of a decagon stems from its symmetry and geometric properties. Regular polygons often have area formulas that can be derived from trigonometric identities, highlighting the connection between geometry and trigonometry.
Tips
- Confusing the area formula for regular decagons with those for irregular decagons. Always use the formula appropriate for regular polygons.
- Not converting angles in degrees if using a calculator that requires it, as some calculators may default to radians.
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