Geometry & Figures

Problem

A segment in the net is an edge of the solid

A triangular prism is unfolded, and part of the net is hatched. We need the distance around that hatched part.
12 cm 10 cm 9 cm 7 cm
Geometry
Your answer
How to solve
Strategy Draw a Diagram — Walk the outline and name each piece by the edge of the solid it came from. The two fold lines where the triangles meet the rectangle are inside the region, so they never get counted.
1STEP 1

Match the net's segments to the solid's edges

Every segment in a net is an edge of the solid folded flat, so each one has a length already given: 12, 7 or 9 for a base edge, 10 for an upright.

12, 7, 9, 10
2STEP 2

Find which segments are inside the region

The rectangle in the hatched part is 12 cm wide, and each triangle is folded onto one of those 12 cm edges. Those two lines are creases inside the region, so they are not part of its boundary.

12, 12 → inside
3STEP 3

Walk the outside boundary

Going round: the two free sides of the upper triangle, one upright side of the rectangle, the two free sides of the lower triangle, and the other upright side.

7 + 9 + 10 + 7 + 9 + 10
4STEP 4

Add them

Group the matching pairs to keep the addition easy.

(7 + 9) × 2 + 10 × 2 = 32 + 20 = 52
Answer
52 cm
Sanity check: if the two 12 cm creases had been counted as well, the total would be 76 -- so leaving them out is what the word 'perimeter' asks for.
Takeaway

A crease inside a shape is not part of its outline -- only what you would walk along counts.

  • Match the net's segments to the solid's edges
  • Find which segments are inside the region
  • Walk the outside boundary
  • Add them

▶ Practice — 12 problems