Is the area of a square a function of its perimeter?

Perimeter of a square (cm) Area of a square (cm
2
)
12 9
20 25
36 81

The area of a square is
of its perimeter because for every input there is
possible output.

1 answer

To determine if the area of a square is a function of its perimeter, we first need to analyze the relationships between the perimeter and the area using the formulas for a square.

  1. Formulas:

    • The perimeter \( P \) of a square with side length \( s \) is given by: \[ P = 4s \]
    • The area \( A \) of a square is given by: \[ A = s^2 \]
  2. Relating Area to Perimeter: From the perimeter formula, we can express the side length \( s \) in terms of the perimeter: \[ s = \frac{P}{4} \] Substituting this into the area formula, we get: \[ A = s^2 = \left(\frac{P}{4}\right)^2 = \frac{P^2}{16} \] This shows that the area can be expressed as a function of the perimeter.

  3. Verifying the Given Data: Let's check the provided values:

    • For \( P = 12 \): \[ s = \frac{12}{4} = 3 \quad \Rightarrow \quad A = 3^2 = 9 \]
    • For \( P = 20 \): \[ s = \frac{20}{4} = 5 \quad \Rightarrow \quad A = 5^2 = 25 \]
    • For \( P = 36 \): \[ s = \frac{36}{4} = 9 \quad \Rightarrow \quad A = 9^2 = 81 \]

    All calculations match the provided data.

  4. Conclusion: Based on the analysis, the area of a square is indeed a function of its perimeter. For every input (perimeter), there is exactly one output (area). This means that: The area of a square is a function of its perimeter because for every input there is exactly one possible output.