All About Hexagons (2024)

• A hexagon has six sides – They are two-dimensional closed figures, and they can be oddly shaped, so long as their sides add up to six.
• There are different kinds of hexagons – Regular hexagons have equal sides and equal angles, while irregular hexagons can bend the rules a little.
• The hexagon shape is popular in nature – Beehives, insect eyes and more feature hexagons because of their ability to fit together seamlessly.

• Key takeaways
• What is a hexagon?
• Must-have properties of a hexagon
• What can we measure about a hexagon?
• Let’s practice together!
• Practice problems
• FAQs

Have you ever stared at a beehive and thought, “Wow, those shapes are really cool!”? What you’ve actually been looking at are natural hexagons – six-sided polygons that fit together perfectly!

So what is a hexagon, and how can we measure its perimeter, area, and more? Let’s take a closer look at this unique shape

A hexagon is a six-sided polygon with six interior angles. There are two different types of hexagons – regular and irregular hexagons.

To be considered “regular,” a hexagon must have six equal sides and six angles that each measure 120°.

So where does the word “hexagon” come from? Well, the prefix “hexa” means six, and “gonia” means angles. Put that together, and you get “six angles,” a requirement for a shape to be called a hexagon!

Hexagons are some of the most naturally occurring shapes in the world! That’s because six sides tend to fit together perfectly to make a strong, dynamic shape or design. You’ll see hexagons when you study beehives, insect eyes, and the center of snowflakes.

Ever kicked a soccer ball around? The black and white designs that make up the outside of the ball are hexagons! They are also a popular choice for tile floors, given they fit so neatly together.

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Fortunately, hexagons don’t have as many rules to follow as, say, a square, a rectangle, or a triangle.

Basically, a hexagon has:

• 6 sides
• 6 angles
• 6 vertices

Regular hexagons follow more rules than other types of hexagons. In order to be considered a regular hexagon, the shape must have:

• 6 equal sides
• 6 vertices
• 6 interior angles that each measure 120°

If you’re calculating the perimeter of a regular hexagon, you simply need to multiply the length of one side by 6 to get the perimeter of the entire shape.

Some other fun facts about a regular hexagon:

• All exterior angles measure 60°
• The shape can be divided into six equilateral triangles
• The opposite sides of a regular hexagon are parallel to each other

The word “concave” literally has the word “cave” in it, right? In a concave hexagon, at least one of the angles will be an exterior angle, which may make the shape look like it has a mouth!

Concave hexagons still have to have – you guessed it – six sides! But two of those sides will likely point inward rather than creating a smooth, round perimeter.

Shapes like circles and squares have specific formulas for measuring area and perimeter. There is a formula to measure the area of a hexagon, but you likely will not need it until much later in your academic career.

We are going to focus on the measurement you’ll likely need to calculate once you start working with hexagons: perimeter.

You probably know that the perimeter of any shape is the measure of its exterior sides. To calculate the perimeter of a hexagon, simply add up each of the shape’s sides.

For a regular hexagon, you can do this pretty easily. Simply use the measurement of one side, then multiply that number by 6.

For an irregular hexagon, you will want to add up each of the sides on your own.

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Since we’re calculating the perimeter of a regular hexagon, we know that we can multiply one side by 6 to get the perimeter.

So, 7 × 6 = 42 inches.

It’s time to put your knowledge of hexagons to the ultimate test! Work through the following problems on your own. Feel free to look back at the practice problems above if you get stuck, or use the guide to refresh your memory.

And remember, don’t get discouraged if you run into a roadblock! Practice is the best way to learn something new.

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