Question:

If the ratio of the areas of two squares is 25:36, then the ratio of their perimeters is

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Area goes with the square of the side, perimeter goes with the side itself. So take the square root of 25:36.
Updated On: Jul 17, 2026
  • 5:6
  • 25:36
  • 6:5
  • 36:25
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Recall the two square formulas.
For a square of side \( a \), the area is \( a^2 \) and the perimeter is \( 4a \). So area depends on the square of the side, while perimeter depends on the side directly. That single difference is the whole point of the question.

Step 2: Name the sides and use the area ratio.
Let the sides of the two squares be \( a \) and \( b \). The areas are \( a^2 \) and \( b^2 \), so
\[ \frac{a^2}{b^2} = \frac{25}{36} \]

Step 3: Take the square root to get the side ratio.
Both sides of the equation are perfect squares, so taking the positive square root gives
\[ \frac{a}{b} = \sqrt{\frac{25}{36}} = \frac{5}{6} \]
We keep only the positive root, because a side length cannot be negative.

Step 4: Convert the side ratio into the perimeter ratio.
\[ \frac{\text{Perimeter}_1}{\text{Perimeter}_2} = \frac{4a}{4b} = \frac{a}{b} = \frac{5}{6} \]
The 4 cancels from top and bottom, so the perimeters are in exactly the same ratio as the sides, that is \( 5 : 6 \).

Step 5: Sanity check with real numbers.
Take sides 5 and 6. Their areas are 25 and 36, which matches the given ratio. Their perimeters are \( 4 \times 5 = 20 \) and \( 4 \times 6 = 24 \), and \( 20 : 24 \) reduces to \( 5 : 6 \). The result holds.

Step 6: Reject the wrong options.
Option (B) 25:36 repeats the area ratio and forgets to take the square root.
Option (C) 6:5 flips the order, which would make the smaller square have the bigger perimeter, an impossibility.
Option (D) 36:25 both flips the order and skips the square root, so it is doubly wrong.

Final Answer:
The perimeters are in the ratio 5:6.
\[ \boxed{5:6} \]
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