It was designed to be a 50 foot square. But the science club needed one half of the area for a native plant garden. The playing surface was cut in half diagonally. What is the perimeter of the area?

Answer 1

If I understand your question correctly, there is a square that is 50 feet on all four sides, and then a line is placed through the square diagonally, and you need to figure out the perimeter of the triangular "half square" created by this diagonal line. If this is the case, you must use the Pythagorean Theorem. The Pythagorean Theorem states that for any right triangle:

a^2 + b^2 = c^2

Where c is the hypotenuse, and a an b are the sides that make the right angle. Since a and b are both 50, the equation we must first solve is:

50^2 + 50^2 = c^2

2500 + 2500 = c^2

5000 = c^2

~71 = c

So, the length of the diagonal line is approximately 71 feet. The other sides are 50 feet each, so the entire perimeter is approximately 171 feet. If you require and exact answer, it is 100 + √5000.