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The length of a rectangle is 6 units and its width is 4 units. What is the approximate length of the diagonal of the rectangle?

2 units
4.4 units
6 units
7.2 units

1 Answer

4 votes
The correct answer is: [D]: " 7.2 units" .
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Step-by-step explanation:
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Use the Pythagorean theorem:

a² + b² = c² ;

in which: "6 units" and "4 units" equal the lengths of the right angle (formed by the rectangle); and "c" is the length of the diagonal of the rectangle, or the "hypotenuse", of the right triangle formed by the rectangle; We wish to solve for "c" ;
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6² + 4² = c² ; Solve for "c" ;

↔ c² = 6² + 4² ;

= (6*6) + (4*4) ;

= 36 + 16 ;

= 52 ;

c² = 52 ;

Take the "positive square root" of each side of the equation; to isolate "c" on one side of the equation; and to solve for "c" ;

√(c²) = √52 ;

c = √52 ;

At this point, we know the 7² = 49 ; 8² = 64 ; so, the answer is somewhere between "7" and "8" ; yet closer to "7" ; so among the answer choices given;

The correct answer is: [D]: " 7.2 units" .
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However, let use a calculator:

c = √52 = 7.2111025509279786 ; which rounds to "7.2" ;
which corresponds to:
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Answer choice: [C]: " 7.2 units" .
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