164k views
1 vote
Find the number of sides of a regular polygon if it's central angle measures 35°.

1 Answer

4 votes
The [# of sides (n) - 2] × 180° is the formula for the sum of interior angles (IAs) in a regular polygon. And so that sum of all IAs ÷ IA = n
Each central angle is opposite of one side.
And all of the central angles add up to 360°, therefore 35×n = 360
35n/35 = 360/35 = 10.29, but we need to verify: each 35° central angle forms an isosceles triangle with a side of the polygon, and each opposite angle (x) is 1/2 of an interior angle. All 3 angles of a triangle sum to 180°, and 2 angles (x) are equal in an isosceles, so
x + x + 35 = 180
2x + 35 = 180
2x = 145
2x/2 = 145/2
x = 72.5
And each x is 1/2 of an interior angle (IA), therefore 2x = IS
IA = 2 (72.5) = 145
(n - 2) × 180° = IA × n
(n - 2) × 180° = 145n
(n - 2) × 180°÷180 = 145n/180
n - 2 = 29n/36
36n/36 - 72-36 = 29n/36
(36n/36 - 72-36)×36 = (29n/36)×36
36n - 72 = 29n
36n - 29n = 72
7n = 72
7n/7 = 72/7
n = 10.29

Are you sure the central angle was 35, not 36°?? Because we don't get a whole number as the # of sides. How can we have 0.29 of a side?
User Rob Boek
by
8.0k points

No related questions found

Welcome to QAmmunity.org, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of our community.

9.4m questions

12.2m answers

Categories