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How to find radius square?

Published in Square Geometry 4 mins read

While "radius square" isn't a standard geometric term for a shape, the phrase likely relates to the radius of a square or perhaps calculating the value of the radius squared (r²). Based on the provided reference, the radius of a square has a specific definition.

The radius of a square is defined as the line segment that runs from the center of the square to any of the vertices. As stated in the reference, the radius of a square is equivalent to one-half of its diagonal. This definition aligns with how the radius of a regular polygon is generally defined.

Therefore, to understand "how to find radius square," we will explore how to find the radius of a square and how to calculate the square of that radius (r²).

Defining the Radius of a Square

According to the geometric definition provided:

  • The radius (r) of a square connects its center to a vertex.
  • This radius is precisely half the length of the square's diagonal (d).

So, the fundamental relationship is:
Radius (r) = Diagonal (d) / 2

How to Calculate the Radius (r)

You can find the radius of a square if you know either its diagonal length or its side length.

Using the Diagonal (d)

If you know the length of the square's diagonal, finding the radius is straightforward, directly applying the definition.

  • Formula: r = d / 2

Example:

If a square has a diagonal of length 10 cm, its radius is:
r = 10 cm / 2 = 5 cm

Using the Side Length (s)

Often, you only know the side length of a square. You can find the diagonal using the Pythagorean theorem (since the diagonal splits the square into two right-angled triangles). The relationship between the side (s) and diagonal (d) of a square is d = s√2.

Once you have the diagonal, you can find the radius:

  • Substitute d = s√2 into the radius formula r = d / 2.
  • Formula: r = (s√2) / 2

Example:

If a square has a side length of 6 inches:

  1. Find the diagonal: d = 6 inches * √2 ≈ 8.485 inches
  2. Find the radius: r = d / 2 = (6√2) / 2 = 3√2 inches
    • Approximately: r ≈ 8.485 inches / 2 ≈ 4.243 inches

How to Calculate Radius Squared (r²)

If "radius square" refers to the value of the radius multiplied by itself (r²), you can calculate this value once you have the radius.

Using the formula for the radius in terms of the side length r = (s√2) / 2, we can easily find r²:

  • Formula: r² = [(s√2) / 2]²
  • r² = (s² * 2) / 4
  • r² = s² / 2

This gives us a direct way to calculate radius squared if you know the side length.

Example:

Continuing the example of the square with a side length of 6 inches:

  1. We found the radius r = 3√2 inches.
  2. Calculate radius squared: r² = (3√2 inches)² = (3² * (√2)²) inches² = (9 * 2) inches² = 18 inches²

Alternatively, using the direct formula r² = s² / 2:
r² = (6 inches)² / 2 = 36 inches² / 2 = 18 inches²

Both methods yield the same result for radius squared.

Summary of Formulas

Here's a quick reference for the formulas discussed:

To Find If You Have Formula
Radius (r) Diagonal (d) r = d / 2
Radius (r) Side (s) r = (s√2) / 2
Radius Squared (r²) Side (s) r² = s² / 2

Understanding the relationship between the side, diagonal, and radius is key to solving problems involving the radius of a square.

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