Title

Apothem and Area of a hexagon

Problem Statement

D
A
C

Determine an equation of the area of a regular hexagon in terms of its apothem and perimeter.
The apothem is the shortest distance from the center of the polygon to one of the sides.
Will this equation be true for other regular polygons? Explain.
Problem setup
Can a hexagons area be calculated using the perimeter and the apothem? If so, what is the
equation and does it hold true for other polygons?
Plans to Solve/Investigate the Problem
I will construct a hexagon using GSP sketchpad. I plan to solve the problem by using the
constructed hexagon to determine the role of the apothem in the hexagon. I predicate that the
apothem can be considered as the height of a triangle, therefore, the area can be calculated using
triangles found within the hexagon.

m KN = 2.02 cm
N

m NO = 2.02 cm

m KJ = 2.02 cm

J
m MJ = 2.02 cm

m OP = 2.02 cm
P
M
m PM = 2.02 cm

I measure the length of the sides of the hexagon to make sure they are all equal. Next, I construct
a line segment from point O to J. Then I construct the midpoint on the line and measure the
distance from the center of the hexagon to segment PM. The distance was 1.75 cm.

m KN = 2.02 cm
N

m NO = 2.02 cm

m KJ = 2.02 cm

J
m MJ = 2.02 cm

m OP = 2.02 cm
P
M
m PM = 2.02 cm

Di stance Q to PM = 1.75 cm

I will then create a segment from point Q to midpoint H on line segment PM. Line H will serves
as the apothem of the hexagon.

m KN = 2.02 cm
N

m NO = 2.02 cm

m OP = 2.02 cm

m KJ = 2.02 cm

J
m MJ = 2.02 cm

H
P

m PM = 2.02 cm

Next, I construct a triangle using points P, Q, and M. I make line segments from points P and M
to point Q.
m KN = 2.02 cm
N

m NO = 2.02 cm

m OP = 2.02 cm

J
m MJ = 2.02 cm

H
P

m KJ = 2.02 cm

m PM = 2.02 cm

Next, I divide the hexagon into the equal triangles.

m KN = 2.02 cm
N

m NO = 2.02 cm

m OP = 2.02 cm

J
m MJ = 2.02 cm

H
P

m KJ = 2.02 cm

m PM = 2.02 cm

Since I created the segment HQ from the midpoint on PM, I can use the segment HQ as the
height of triangle QMP, which the height of the triangle is 1.75 cm. Now that I have the height of
triangle QMP, I can use the formula for the area of the triangle to determine the area of triangle
QMP. The apothem will be substituted for the height of one of the equilateral triangles. The
formula will be base(PM) *apothem(height) which would give me 1.76 cm, which is the area
of the triangle QMP. I used the calculate function on GSP to make sure that my calculations were
correct.

m PM Di stance Q to PM = 1.76 cm 2

The area of triangle QMP is 0.5*2.02*1.75= 1.76 cm. Now that I have the area of this triangle I
can use this area to determine the area of the remaining six triangles in the hexagon. Therefore,
based on this observation, I know that I can find the area of the hexagon by multiplying base*
h* number of triangles in the hexagon. The equation will be as follows: *2.02*1.75*6= 10.55
cm. The area of the hexagon would be 10.55 cm. To make sure that my calculations were correct,
I used the calculate function of GSP and my calculations were correct.

1
2

m PM Di stance Q to PM 6 = 10.55 cm 2

I also used the interior of the hexagon to check the area of

the hexagon and it was 10.55 cm.

Area MPONKJ = 10.55 cm 2

Next, I find the perimeter of the hexagon, and from my prior knowledge, I know that the
perimeter of an object is found by adding the sides of an object. Therefore to find the perimeter
of this hexagon I will take the length of the sides which were 2.02 cm and add it up 6 times
which would make the perimeter 12.09 cm.

m KN = 2.02 cm
N

m NO = 2.02 cm

m OP = 2.02 cm

J
m MJ = 2.02 cm

H
P

m KJ = 2.02 cm

m PM = 2.02 cm

Peri meter MPONKJ = 12.09 cm

To make sure that the calculations were correct, I used the calculate function in GSP and added
up the length of sides six times.
m KN+m KJ+m MJ+m PM+m OP+m NO = 12.09 cm

Conclusion:
As stated earlier line H will serve as the apothem. I realized that the area can be calculated by
evaluating the area of a series of triangles within the hexagon. Therefore, the area for that
triangle will be base times the height. (1/2 b*h). Also, as noticed in my constructions, there
are also five other triangles that were created by joining the vertices with the center point. Now
we can replace base with side and h with apothem. The equation will then be *s*a. Since
there are six triangles that make up the area of the regular hexagon then the *s*a will have to
be added six times to get the total area.
The equation would then be A=1/2as + 1/2as + 1/2as + 1/2as + 1/2as + 1/2as where a is the
apothem and s the length of the sides. The total area adds up to one half the base which is the
side times the height which is the apothem and this occurs six times in the entire hexagon
(6as). Therefore, the equation can be written to isolate the perimeter of the hexagon as (6s)
(a). This form of the equation allows the perimeter to be isolated in terms of 6s. Thus, the
equation of the area of a regular pentagon in terms of the apothem and the perimeter is one-half
the perimeter times the apothem. Stated as (P*a) = Area. Perimeter is equal to the length of
sides added six times for the number of sides.

Extensions of the Problem

Have students create a quadrilateral that is a square and find the apothem of the square and find a
formula for area and perimeter of the square.
A

B
K

J
C

D
I

Line JI is the apothem of the square which is a side of the square GJID. This square GJID is 1.29
cm.
A

B
K

Area GJID = 1.29 cm 2

D
I

The square GJID is the square ABCD. This means that I can find the area of the square by
Area GJID +Area GJID +Area GJID +Area GJID = 5.18 cm 2

multiplying *1.29= 5.18 cm.

A

B
K

J
C

Area GJID = 1.29 cm 2

Area DCBA = 5.18 cm 2

The perimeter is still found by adding the lengths of the sides together.

GPS Correlation
M6M2

Students will use appropriate units of measure for finding length, perimeter,
area, and volume and will express each quantity using the appropriate unit.
c. Compare and contrast units of measure for perimeter, area, and volume.

M6P1

Students will solve problems (using appropriate technology)

a. Build new mathematical knowledge through problem solving.
b. Solve problems that arise in mathematics and other contexts.
c. Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems.
d. Monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical problem solving.
Students will reason and evaluate mathematical arguments.
a. Recognize reasoning and proof as fundamental aspects of math.
b. Make and investigate mathematical conjectures.
c. Develop and evaluate mathematical arguments and proofs.
d. Select and use various types of reasoning and methods of proofs.

M6P2

M6P3

Students will communicate mathematically.

M6P5

Students will represent mathematics in multiple ways.

Author & Contact

Erin Gotel-Bundrige
emg1982@bellsouth.net