SOLUTION: Can you help me solve: Find the length of each side of a regular pentagon inscribed in a circle of radius 4 inches Thank you!

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Question 198770: Can you help me solve:
Find the length of each side of a regular pentagon inscribed in a circle of radius 4 inches
Thank you!

Answer by solver91311(24713) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


If the pentagon is inscribed in a circle, then a side of the pentagon is a chord of the circle. Since it is a regular pentagon, the angle subtended by such a chord is one-fifth of the circle, or radians.

Knowing the radius and the subtended angle, you can calculate the chord length using:



Where is the radius of the circle and is the subtended angle.

All you need to do now is a little calculator work.

John