Question 24
Can six congruent equilateral triangles be placed together as in Fig. 6.12? If yes, will it result in a regular hexagon?

- Each interior angle of an equilateral triangle is , and all its sides are equal in length.
- For shapes to fit together around a common vertex without any gaps or overlapping, the sum of the angles meeting at that central vertex must equal .
- A polygon is classified as a regular polygon if it is both equilateral (all sides equal) and equiangular (all interior angles equal).
Step 1 · Check Angles at the Center
Each interior angle of an equilateral triangle measures .
Sum of angles around the central vertex
Since the sum of angles at point is exactly , six congruent equilateral triangles fit together perfectly without any gaps or overlaps.
Step 2 · Verify Properties of the Resulting Polygon
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Equal Sides: Since the six equilateral triangles are congruent, all their outer sides are equal in length:
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Equal Angles: Each interior angle of the resulting hexagon is formed by two adjacent angles of the equilateral triangles:
All interior angles are equal to .
Since all sides are equal and all interior angles are equal, the shape is a regular hexagon.
Yes, six congruent equilateral triangles can be placed together, and the resulting shape is a regular hexagon.
- Overlooking the Central Angle Condition: For polygons to tile together around a single vertex without overlapping or leaving empty space, the sum of angles meeting at that vertex must be exactly .
- Incomplete Regularity Check: Assuming a polygon is regular just because its sides are equal. Both conditions—all sides equal and all interior angles equal—must be verified.
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