What is the perimeter of an equilateral triangle?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking us to find the perimeter of an equilateral triangle, which is achieved by adding the lengths of all three equal sides together. The formula for the perimeter of an equilateral triangle is P = 3a, where 'a' is the length of one side.
Answer
$P = 3a$
Answer for screen readers
The final answer for the perimeter ( P ) of the equilateral triangle is given by ( P = 3a ), where ( a ) is the length of one side.
Steps to Solve
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Identify the length of one side First, determine the value of 'a', the length of one side of the equilateral triangle.
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Use the perimeter formula The perimeter formula for an equilateral triangle is given by the equation: $$ P = 3a $$ This equation states that the perimeter ( P ) is equal to three times the length of one side ( a ).
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Calculate the perimeter Substitute the value of 'a' into the perimeter formula and calculate the result: $$ P = 3 \times a $$
The final answer for the perimeter ( P ) of the equilateral triangle is given by ( P = 3a ), where ( a ) is the length of one side.
More Information
The perimeter gives us the total length around the triangle. Since all sides are equal in an equilateral triangle, multiplying the side length by 3 simplifies the calculation.
Tips
- A common mistake is forgetting that all sides of an equilateral triangle are equal. Make sure to use the same length for all three sides.
