Perimeter of a Regular Polygon Formula
Geometry Formulas: Area, Volume, Perimeter
What is the formula for the perimeter of a regular polygon?
Answer
Perimeter of a regular polygon
P = n · a
Here n is the number of sides, a is the side (or base). The result comes out in units.
Where the formula comes from
P = n · a
All n sides of a regular polygon are the same length, so walking the outline is adding a to itself n times.
Worked examples
Let n = 5, a = 6. Then the perimeter of a regular polygon = 30 units.
Let n = 8, a = 3.5. Then the perimeter of a regular polygon = 28 units.
The common mistake
Using it on an irregular polygon. Then there is no single a: the sides have to be measured and added one by one.
Other quantities: Regular polygon
Related Calculations
See Also
- Square Footage Calculator - Width × length in feet to square feet
- Square Feet to Square Meters (Sq Ft to Sq M) - Convert Square Feet to Square Meters
- Square Meters to Square Feet (Sq M to Sq Ft) - Convert Square Meters to Square Feet
- Gravel Calculator - Area to cubic yards, tons and coverage
- Topsoil Calculator - Cubic yards, weight and coverage for any area
- Multiplication Facts - Any two numbers from 1 to 9, with the working shown
Geometry Formulas: Area, Volume, Perimeter
These are the formulas for the area, perimeter, circumference, volume and surface area of the standard shapes — 31 of them. Each page shows not only the formula but where it comes from, what every letter stands for, two worked examples and the mistake that this particular shape invites. For example, it can help you find out what is the formula for the perimeter of a regular polygon? (The answer is: P = n · a). Pick the pair — "Area of a circle", for instance — and hit the "Find out" button.
Geometry Formulas: Area, Volume, Perimeter
Values from the Formula (a = 6)
| If n = | Perimeter |
|---|---|
| 3 | 18 units |
| 4 | 24 units |
| 5 | 30 units |
| 6 | 36 units |
| 8 | 48 units |
| 10 | 60 units |
| 12 | 72 units |
FAQ
What is the formula for the perimeter of a regular polygon?
Perimeter of a regular polygon P = n · a
Where does this formula come from?
All n sides of a regular polygon are the same length, so walking the outline is adding a to itself n times.
What is the most common mistake here?
Using it on an irregular polygon. Then there is no single a: the sides have to be measured and added one by one.
How do I use this formula?
Put your own numbers in place of the letters. With n = 8, a = 3.5, for instance, the formula P = n · a gives = 28 units.
See Also
- Area of a Parallelogram Formula
- Area of a Regular Polygon Formula
- Area of a Rectangle Formula
- Area of a Rhombus Formula
- Area of a Circular Sector Formula
- Area of a Square Formula
- Area of a Trapezoid Formula
- Area of a Triangle Formula
- Circumference of a Circle Formula
- Diameter of a Circle Formula
- Perimeter of a Rectangle Formula
- Perimeter of a Semicircle Formula
- Perimeter of a Square Formula
- Perimeter of a Triangle Formula
- Surface Area of a Cone Formula
- Surface Area of a Cube Formula
- Surface Area of a Cylinder Formula
- Surface Area of a Pyramid Formula
- Surface Area of a Rectangular Prism Formula
- Surface Area of a Sphere Formula
- Периметр правильного многоугольника
- Perímetro del polígono regular
- Perímetro do polígono regular