Calculate the Second Diagonal in a Deltoid with Area 18 cm² and First Diagonal 3 cm

Deltoid Area Formula with Given Diagonal

Shown below is the deltoid ABCD.

The diagonal AC is 3 cm long.

The area of the deltoid is 18 cm².

Calculate the diagonal DB.

S=18S=18S=18333AAABBBCCCDDD

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Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations
00:00 Calculate diagonal DB
00:03 We'll use the formula for calculating rhombus area
00:09 (diagonal times diagonal) divided by 2
00:19 We'll substitute appropriate values according to the data and solve for DB
00:29 Multiply by 2 to eliminate the fraction
00:38 Isolate DB
00:50 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution
1

Understand the problem

Shown below is the deltoid ABCD.

The diagonal AC is 3 cm long.

The area of the deltoid is 18 cm².

Calculate the diagonal DB.

S=18S=18S=18333AAABBBCCCDDD

2

Step-by-step solution

The goal here is to find the diagonal DB DB of the deltoid. Given:

  • Diagonal AC=3 AC = 3 cm
  • Area of the deltoid =18 = 18 cm2^2

We utilize the formula relating the diagonals and area of a deltoid:

Area=12×d1×d2 \text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times d_1 \times d_2

Here, d1=3 d_1 = 3 cm (given as diagonal AC AC ) and the area is given as 18 cm2^2. We are solving for d2=DB d_2 = DB .

Substituting the known values into the formula:

18=12×3×DB 18 = \frac{1}{2} \times 3 \times DB

First, multiply both sides by 2 to clear the fraction:

36=3×DB 36 = 3 \times DB

Now, solve for DB DB by dividing both sides by 3:

DB=363=12cm DB = \frac{36}{3} = 12 \, \text{cm}

Therefore, the diagonal DB DB of the deltoid is 12cm 12 \, \text{cm} .

3

Final Answer

12 cm

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic
  • Formula: Area of deltoid equals half the product of diagonals
  • Technique: Substitute known values: 18=12×3×DB 18 = \frac{1}{2} \times 3 \times DB
  • Check: Verify by calculating area with found diagonal: 12×3×12=18 \frac{1}{2} \times 3 \times 12 = 18

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors
  • Using wrong formula for deltoid area
    Don't use base × height or side² for deltoids = completely wrong answer! Deltoids aren't rectangles or squares. Always use Area = ½ × diagonal₁ × diagonal₂ for deltoids.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

Indicate the correct answer

The next quadrilateral is:

AAABBBCCCDDD

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

What exactly is a deltoid and how is it different from other shapes?

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A deltoid is a kite-shaped quadrilateral with two pairs of adjacent equal sides. Unlike rectangles or triangles, its area formula specifically uses the diagonals, not sides or base and height.

Why do we multiply by ½ in the deltoid area formula?

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The formula Area=12×d1×d2 \text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times d_1 \times d_2 comes from dividing the deltoid into four triangles using both diagonals. Each triangle's area adds up to half the rectangle formed by the diagonals.

How do I know which diagonal is which in the problem?

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It doesn't matter! The deltoid area formula works the same way regardless of which diagonal you call d₁ or d₂. Just substitute the known diagonal length and solve for the unknown one.

Can I solve this problem if both diagonals are unknown?

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No, you need at least one diagonal length to use this formula. With just the area, you'd have one equation with two unknowns, which has infinitely many solutions.

What if I get a decimal answer for the diagonal?

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That's perfectly valid! Real-world measurements often result in decimal lengths. Just make sure your calculation is correct by substituting back into the area formula to verify.

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