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| Math Central | Quandaries & Queries |
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Question from Ann, a student: given a rectangle with sides a and 2a and diagonal d, find the area of the rectangle as a function of the diagonal,d |
Hi Ann,
Since the area of a rectangle is the length times the height the area of this rectangle is
area = 2a × a = 2a2.
Look at the diagram. Do you see a right triangle? What does Pythagoras tell you? Use this relationship to write the area of the rectangle in terms if d.
Penny
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