Math Problem Statement

A square of side 2 units has one vertex at (0, 0) and one diagonal along the x-axis. What are the coordinates of the three other vertices?

Solution

The problem states that a square has a side length of 2 units, with one vertex at (0,0)(0,0) and one diagonal along the x-axis. We need to find the coordinates of the other three vertices.

Step-by-Step Solution:

  1. First Vertex: One vertex is already given as A(0,0)A(0, 0).

  2. Diagonal Properties:

    • A square's diagonal is 2\sqrt{2} times the side length.
    • For this square, the diagonal length will be: Diagonal length=2×2=22\text{Diagonal length} = 2 \times \sqrt{2} = 2\sqrt{2}
    • Since the diagonal is aligned along the x-axis, we know the other vertex on the diagonal must be at (22,0)(2\sqrt{2}, 0).
  3. Midpoint of the Diagonal:

    • The midpoint of the diagonal lies at the center of the square. For a diagonal along the x-axis, the midpoint is: Midpoint=(0+222,0+02)=(2,0)\text{Midpoint} = \left( \frac{0 + 2\sqrt{2}}{2}, \frac{0 + 0}{2} \right) = (\sqrt{2}, 0) This is the center of the square.
  4. Rotation to Find Remaining Vertices:

    • Since the square is symmetric about its center, the remaining two vertices can be obtained by rotating points by 90° around the center (2,0)(\sqrt{2}, 0).
    • The remaining vertices will be equidistant from the center, lying at distances of 11 unit from the center, both above and below the x-axis.

Coordinates of the vertices:

  • First vertex: (0,0)(0,0)
  • Second vertex: (22,0)(2\sqrt{2}, 0)
  • Third vertex (rotated): (2,2)(\sqrt{2}, \sqrt{2})
  • Fourth vertex (rotated): (2,2)(\sqrt{2}, -\sqrt{2})

Final Answer:

The coordinates of the three other vertices are:

  1. (22,0)(2\sqrt{2}, 0)
  2. (2,2)(\sqrt{2}, \sqrt{2})
  3. (2,2)(\sqrt{2}, -\sqrt{2})

Would you like more details on this approach or clarification? Here are some related questions:

  1. How can we generalize this solution for squares of different sizes?
  2. Why is the diagonal length of a square always 2\sqrt{2} times the side length?
  3. What are the steps to rotate points around a given center?
  4. How would the problem change if the diagonal were along a different axis?
  5. What if the vertex was not at (0,0)(0,0)? How would the solution change?

Tip: When dealing with squares, always use the symmetry properties of the figure to simplify finding vertices, sides, and diagonals.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Geometry
Coordinate Geometry
Rotations

Formulas

Diagonal of a square = side × sqrt(2)
Midpoint formula: M = ((x1 + x2)/2, (y1 + y2)/2)

Theorems

Pythagorean theorem (for calculating diagonal length)
Rotational symmetry (90° rotation around center)

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 9-12