Area

of a Regular Pentagon--a simple

derivation with Golden Ratio
Nenmeli K Srinivasan Ph D
Introduction
The derivation of the area formula for a regular
pentagon is difficult and involves several angular
relationships using trigonometry. In this article , I
present a simple method based on my earlier article on
"How to construct a pentagon without using a compass or
protractor?" {www.scribd.com]

The "Srinivasan method"
This method is based on the fact that if 'a' is the side
of a regular pentagon, its diagonal
d = a
where is the 'golden ratio' = 1.618.....
This method also uses "the Heron's formula" for the area
of a triangle:
Area of a triangle = sqrt[s (s-a)(s-b)(s-c)]

where a, b and c are the sides of a triangle and

s= semiperimeter = (a + b + c)/2.
Consider a regular pentagon ,marked ABCDE.[See Figure
below]

The area of regular pentagon is the sum of the areas of

the three triangles: ABC , ACD and ADE.
Let the area of ABC and ADE be called A1.
Let the area of ACD be called A2.
Total area A = 2 A1 + A2.
Computation of area A1
Let the side of the pentagon be "a".
Using Heron's formula:
semiperimeter s1 = [AB + BC + AC]/2 =( a+a + a)/2

s1 = a(2 + 1.618)/2 = 1.809 a

Area A1 = sqrt[s1 (s1-a)(s1-a)(s1-a)]=
= (s1-a)sqrt[ s1 (s1-1.618a)]
= 0.809 a x 0.5878 a = 0.475537 a2
Computation of Area A2:
semiperimeter s2 = [AC + AD + CD]/2 = [ 2 a + a]/2
s2= 2.118 a
Area A2 = sqrt[ s2 (s2-a)(s2-a) (s2-a)]
= (s2-a)sqrt[s2(s2-a)]
= 0.5 a x 1.53881a
= 0.7694 a2
Total area A = 2A1 + A2 ~ 1.720474 a2
Note that the golden ratio is taken as 1.618 in this
note.
Greater accuracy for the area of a regular pentagon can
be obtained by taking further decimal places for the
golden ratio.
The "Wikipedia" article gives the area ~ 1.720477401 a2
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Ratio of area A2 to area A1:

It is interesting to note that that ratio of area A2 to
area A1 is the GOLDEN RATIO: phi= 1.618....
Area A2/ Area A1 = 0.769415 /0.475524 = 1.618036....
The aesthetic appeal of regular pentagon can be
exhibited by drawing the three triangles as illustrated
earlier.


Viviani Theorem Extended
Vincenzo Viviani (1622-1703) , a secretary of Galileo
and a student of Torricelli, gave a beautiful theorem:
Consider an equilateral triangle ABC. Locate an
arbitrary point P inside the triangle. Join PA,PB and
PC.
Find the distance of perpendiculars from P to the three
sides, say d,e and f.
Viviani thoereom states that the sum of these distances:
d+e+f = h , the altitude of the triangle.
Proof: It is easy to prove this theorem;

The area of the triangle = (1/2)h.s where s is the side

of the triangle.
From the three smaller triangles APB,APC and BPC, we get
area= (1/2)s [d+e+f} = (1/2)h s
or d+e+f = h.
Extending this theorem to a regular pentagon, if
f,g,h,i,j are the five perpendicular distances from P
[any point inside the pentagon] to the sides, we get
f+g+h+i+j = 2 x 1.7205 s
= 3.441 s
The sum of the distances from any point to the sides is
equal to 3.441 x side of the pentagon.
The reader is encouraged to find applications of this
theorem for pentagons!
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