16Hit1600
Geometry and TrigonometryEasyRelating area and perimeter of a square

Geometry and Trigonometry practice question

A square has an area of 36 square centimeters. What is the perimeter, in centimeters, of the square?

Answer: 24

If s is the side length, then s² = 36, so s = 6 centimeters. A square has four equal sides, so the perimeter is 4(6) = 24 centimeters. Common errors: answering 6 (stopping after finding the side length), answering 144 (multiplying the area by 4 instead of the side length by 4), and answering 12 (doubling the side length, as if only two sides were counted).

Common wrong answers

If you answered 6
That's the side length — you solved s² = 36 correctly but stopped before finding the perimeter, 4(6) = 24.
If you answered 12
You doubled the side length, counting only two sides. A square has four equal sides, so the perimeter is 4(6) = 24.
If you answered 36
That's the given area, not the perimeter. Find the side (s = 6) and multiply by 4 to get 24.
If you answered 144
You multiplied the area by 4 instead of the side length. Take the square root first: s = 6, then perimeter = 4(6) = 24.

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