Last visit was: 13 Dec 2024, 18:03 It is currently 13 Dec 2024, 18:03
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
Bunuel
User avatar
Math Expert
Joined: 02 Sep 2009
Last visit: 13 Dec 2024
Posts: 97,874
Own Kudos:
685,627
 []
Given Kudos: 88,269
Products:
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 97,874
Kudos: 685,627
 []
Kudos
Add Kudos
4
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
kungfury42
Joined: 07 Jan 2022
Last visit: 31 May 2023
Posts: 583
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 725
Schools: NUS '25 (A)
GMAT 1: 740 Q51 V38
GPA: 4
Products:
Schools: NUS '25 (A)
GMAT 1: 740 Q51 V38
Posts: 583
Kudos: 466
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
avatar
Pastillita
Joined: 29 Dec 2019
Last visit: 17 Jun 2022
Posts: 15
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 145
Location: United Kingdom
GPA: 3.7
Posts: 15
Kudos: 4
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
kungfury42
Joined: 07 Jan 2022
Last visit: 31 May 2023
Posts: 583
Own Kudos:
466
 []
Given Kudos: 725
Schools: NUS '25 (A)
GMAT 1: 740 Q51 V38
GPA: 4
Products:
Schools: NUS '25 (A)
GMAT 1: 740 Q51 V38
Posts: 583
Kudos: 466
 []
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Pastillita
kungfury42
If the side of the square is a
Then the radius of outer circle = a/√2
And the radius of the inner circle = a/2

Perimeter of the square = 4a
Which is equal to 8*(a/2) or 8r which is option B.

Posted from my mobile device


Hi there, Im a bit confused by your explanation pertaining to the radius of the outer circle. Please do correct me if I am mistaken but surely the radius of the outer circle is a*root(2) / 2? I arrived at the same answer as you, with the same logic for the radius of the inner circle but when it comes to the perimeter of the square based on the radius of the outer circle, I had a different answer to you.

My logic was that the radius of the outer circle is 's', so the diameter = 2s. We know that the diameter is a diagonal of the inscribed square, so it can be expressed as
side of square*root(2). Let "side of square" be 'a'.

Hence, a*root(2) = diameter = 2s

Thus a = 2s/root(2) so perimeter (4*a) = 8s/root(2) = (4s*root(2) )as an expression for the perimeter. Did I make a mistake somewhere or am I correct?

Hi Pastillita, I'm happy to help.

Quote:
Please do correct me if I am mistaken but surely the radius of the outer circle is a*root(2) / 2?
This is absolutely correct. And in case you were wondering, the radius of the outer circle in my answer a/√2 is the indeed same expression as yours but with the common \(\sqrt{2}\) cancelled from both Numerator and Denominator.

\(\frac{a\sqrt{2}}{2}=\frac{a\sqrt{2}}{\sqrt{2}\sqrt{2}}=\frac{a}{\sqrt{2}}\)

Quote:
My logic was that the radius of the outer circle is 's', so the diameter = 2s. We know that the diameter is a diagonal of the inscribed square, so it can be expressed as
side of square*root(2). Let "side of square" be 'a'.

Hence, a*root(2) = diameter = 2s

Thus a = 2s/root(2) so perimeter (4*a) = 8s/root(2) = (4s*root(2) )as an expression for the perimeter. Did I make a mistake somewhere or am I correct?
This is a perfectly sound logic. And you're absolutely correct in calculating the perimeter of the square in terms of the outer radius as \(4s\sqrt{2}\) however this is not present in the options, and hence we will have to stick with expressing the perimeter in terms of the radius of the inner circle.

I would also like to point that you could have saved on so much of calculations by a simple observation. You have the perimeter of the square as \(4a\) and you have the radius of the outer circle as \(s=\frac{a\sqrt{2}}{2}\).

Now simply rewrite \(s=\frac{a\sqrt{2}}{2}\) as \(a=\frac{2s}{\sqrt{2}}\) and plug this value of \(a\) back in \(4a\) to obtain the perimeter of the square in terms of the outer radius \(s\)

\(4a = 4*a = 4*\frac{2s}{\sqrt{2}} = 4*\sqrt{2}s\)

Hope this was helpful.
avatar
Pastillita
Joined: 29 Dec 2019
Last visit: 17 Jun 2022
Posts: 15
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 145
Location: United Kingdom
GPA: 3.7
Posts: 15
Kudos: 4
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
kungfury42
Pastillita
kungfury42
If the side of the square is a
Then the radius of outer circle = a/√2
And the radius of the inner circle = a/2

Perimeter of the square = 4a
Which is equal to 8*(a/2) or 8r which is option B.

Posted from my mobile device


Hi there, Im a bit confused by your explanation pertaining to the radius of the outer circle. Please do correct me if I am mistaken but surely the radius of the outer circle is a*root(2) / 2? I arrived at the same answer as you, with the same logic for the radius of the inner circle but when it comes to the perimeter of the square based on the radius of the outer circle, I had a different answer to you.

My logic was that the radius of the outer circle is 's', so the diameter = 2s. We know that the diameter is a diagonal of the inscribed square, so it can be expressed as
side of square*root(2). Let "side of square" be 'a'.

Hence, a*root(2) = diameter = 2s

Thus a = 2s/root(2) so perimeter (4*a) = 8s/root(2) = (4s*root(2) )as an expression for the perimeter. Did I make a mistake somewhere or am I correct?

Hi Pastillita, I'm happy to help.

Quote:
Please do correct me if I am mistaken but surely the radius of the outer circle is a*root(2) / 2?
This is absolutely correct. And in case you were wondering, the radius of the outer circle in my answer a/√2 is the indeed same expression as yours but with the common \(\sqrt{2}\) cancelled from both Numerator and Denominator.

\(\frac{a\sqrt{2}}{2}=\frac{a\sqrt{2}}{\sqrt{2}\sqrt{2}}=\frac{a}{\sqrt{2}}\)

Quote:
My logic was that the radius of the outer circle is 's', so the diameter = 2s. We know that the diameter is a diagonal of the inscribed square, so it can be expressed as
side of square*root(2). Let "side of square" be 'a'.

Hence, a*root(2) = diameter = 2s

Thus a = 2s/root(2) so perimeter (4*a) = 8s/root(2) = (4s*root(2) )as an expression for the perimeter. Did I make a mistake somewhere or am I correct?
This is a perfectly sound logic. And you're absolutely correct in calculating the perimeter of the square in terms of the outer radius as \(4s\sqrt{2}\) however this is not present in the options, and hence we will have to stick with expressing the perimeter in terms of the radius of the inner circle.

I would also like to point that you could have saved on so much of calculations by a simple observation. You have the perimeter of the square as \(4a\) and you have the radius of the outer circle as \(s=\frac{a\sqrt{2}}{2}\).

Now simply rewrite \(s=\frac{a\sqrt{2}}{2}\) as \(a=\frac{2s}{\sqrt{2}}\) and plug this value of \(a\) back in \(4a\) to obtain the perimeter of the square in terms of the outer radius \(s\)

\(4a = 4*a = 4*\frac{2s}{\sqrt{2}} = 4*\sqrt{2}s\)

Hope this was helpful.


Thank you for taking the time to give me this detailed reply, much appreciated.
Moderator:
Math Expert
97874 posts