Case Hcc Industries - 2151 Words

08 Fall 08 Fall 1. Evaluate the decision to use â€Å"minimum performance standard â€Å" (MPS) targets instead of â€Å"stretch† targets. We evaluate the decision to use â€Å"minimum performance standard† targets by looking at how good this new target system achieves the four purposes of planning and budgeting processes. First of all, planning and budgeting processes have to enhance management control. Derived from the case, we think corporate managers have too much control on the targets. General managers give corporate managers an estimate of the targets they can achieve but in all the divisions, targets were adjusted. The CEO always has the last call on the targets and in the case of Sealtron we see that this isn’t good. No one believes Sealtron†¦show more content†¦2. Should HCC managers have expected that the MPS target-setting philosophy would be equally effective in all four operating divisions described? No, they should not think so. The new MPS budget system has both advantages and disadvantages, which do not have effect on every division to the same extent and thus result in the difference of the effectiveness of the MPS target-setting philosophy on different divisions. We will answer this question with the comparison of the 4 divisions’ reaction to the MPS system by looking over the characteristics of their managers, staffs, markets and other relevant aspects. We believe that Hermetic Seal is relatively suitable for the MPS philosophy. As mentioned in the text, Hermetic Seal’s customers were mostly military customers, indicating that their contacts and sales did not change significantly according to the economic fluctuations and were more or less stable. So Hermetic Seal was more likely to make a correct expectation about their future and make an achievable, as well as challenging, budget, which is the key of the MPS. Mike, the manager of Hermetic Seal, who was looking for a large bonus, would make more conservative budgets to ensure that he could always meet the targets. He intentionally lowered the budget target that he used to make, in order to let off the pressure to meet the targets, so at the same time he reduced the motivation to fight for more challengingShow MoreRelatedCase Hcc Industries2159 Words   |  9 Pagesbudgeting processes. First of all, planning and budgeting processes have to enhance management control. Derived from the case, we think corporate managers have too much control on the targets. General managers give corporate managers an estimate of the targets they can achieve but in all the divisions, targets were adjusted. The CEO always has the last call on the targets and in the case of Sealtron we see that this isn’t good. No one believes Sealtron can achieve a PBT of 1milion $ and still the CEO wantsRead MoreHcc Industries988 Words   |  4 PagesHCC 1. Evaluate the decision to use â€Å"minimum performance standard† (MPS) targets instead of â€Å"stretch† targets HCC has changed from ‘stretch’ performance targets to ‘minimum performance standards’. This was because the stretch targets didn’t work very well. The ‘stretch’ targets are doing a good job in companies that have a great understanding of their markets and that can influence the market. HCC however is too small to do marketing and market research, so it hasn’t enough information about theirRead MoreHcc Industries Essay1127 Words   |  5 PagesHCC industries, a manufacturing company that produces hermetically sealed electronic connection devices along with microelectronic packages, is headquartered in Encino, California. Considering their highly sophisticated product line, one of HCC’s main clients was the U.S Military and government funded aerospace programs. HCC is made up of four distinct operating divisions: Hermetic Seal, Sealtron, Glasseal, and Hermetite. The divisions are highly decentralized and completely autonomou s of each otherRead MoreConstruction Industry Profile1595 Words   |  7 Pages PART- A INDUSTRY PROFILE PART-A INDUSTRIAL PROFILE |Indian Construction Industry is highly fragmented. There are mostly |[pic] | |unorganized players in the industry which work on the subcontracting basis. As| | |the construction activity being labour intensive, construction companies have | | |been mainlyRead MoreHcc Industries3850 Words   |  16 Pagescorporation work properly to achieve the objectives and give them incentives by bonus related to performance. From this point of view, the budget system should be reasonable, achievable, and also have some challenge to ensure the hard working. HCC Industries was using â€Å"stretch† performance targets until 1987. The main idea of using â€Å"stretch† targets was to motivate managers to perform at the highest level possible by setting aggressive targets with probability of achievement between 75 % and 80 %Read MoreEssay on HCC Industries2633 Words   |  11 PagesContext    HCC   Industries   is   a   small   publicly   owned   company   headquartered   in    California   that   has   four   divisions   across   the   United   States.   Three   divisions    manufacture   and   sell   hermetically   sealed   electronic   connection   devices   of   various    types,   while   one,   Hermetite,   produces   microelectronic   packages.   HCC’s   divisions   are    very   self- ­Ã¢â‚¬ contained   and   independent.   ARead MoreNational Health Care For The United States1569 Words   |  7 PagesHealth Care Spending in the United States In America, health care is one of the most profitable industries. You can’t look at health care as one entity; it is a combination of several different entities rolled into one. The parties that are considered stakeholders in the industry are federal government, state government, physicians, nurses, insurance companies, investors, and patients. In an industry that is driven by money and the need for profit, health care facilities are able to set prices asRead MoreEssay on The Affordable Care Act963 Words   |  4 Pages(www.healthcapital.com, 2013). Key issue in health care industry is the quality of doctors and the number of doctors available, this ACA mainly aims to address the issue of all citizens especially poor. The constituency of the act makes the US government to think about the Supreme Court Judgement about emphasising all citizens should have health insurance (NYTimes, 2014). Following are the arguments concerning ACA execution: ï  ¶ In this case law is enforced on any individual it is a constituency.Read MoreHepatitis C Is An Infection Of The Liver Caused By The Virus1658 Words   |  7 Pagesfifties and sixties, born between 1945 and 1965. One attributable cause is believed to be the transmission of the contaminated blood through organ transplants and drug injections. It is expected that compensated cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) will increase by over 80 percent from the year 2000 to the year 2020. Over the same period, it is estimated that decompensated cirrhosis would increase over 100 percent and that liver-related deaths would increase by 181 percent (Davis GL, AlbrightRead MoreDifferent Departments and its functions These sections are vital components by which the airline1300 Words   |  6 PagesControl Center (HCC) Hub or Station control (generally operations control) monitors the aircraft, crew and passenger manifestation along with coordinating A/C turnaround time as per ETD/ Slot (ATC) has been given. They have different systems to control INT. And Dom. Traffic. They actively message between Airport (AOCC), Airlines and the service provider (GHA) thereby controlling the delay caused by any unforeseen disruptions and hence reducing the ground time and cost to the Industry. k) Airport Operations

The Events that Happened on December 13th - 533 Words

This research paper is about the events that happened on December 13th. I will take you through sum very interesting events that happened on this date, which is also my birthday. Personally I didn’t know that there were events like this that happened on this day. It was very interesting what I learned during this research project. I will be able to take the knowledge that I absorbed by doing this project with me through high school, college and eventually a career that fits me. My first topic is an avalanche that many soldiers died in because they were fighting for their country. This takes place in the time of WWI. This particular avalanche killed an estimate of 9,000 soldiers who were in its path. Witnesses say the avalanches were sometimes used as a weapon to kill the enemies on the mountain, soldiers that survived say the condition on the mountain was worse than the actual fighting itself. The French and Russians were against the Germans and Austrians. Most of the battle camps were set up directly under unstable snow, so whoever was in there at the time of the avalanche, they would have died. Only a few people were found out of thousands of soldiers in the battles. Another interesting event was the capturing of Saddam Hussein. Operation Red Dawn was the plan that the U.S. would try to find and execute Saddam Hussein for good He was raised into a poor family as a little child by his mother. His first wife, was his first cousin Sajida. Saddam spent many years runningShow MoreRelatedThe Legacy Of Lincoln And Andrew Johnson1017 Words   |  5 PagesI will be going through and telling you what happen through the time periods and the months. Through every time period I will tell you every event that goes on during that time period and how long is last. Basically I am giving you a research time lime from event to event. Lincoln and Andrew Johnson were out of sympathy with black suffrage, especially conferred by the federal government. Johnson s interpretations of Lincoln s policies prevailed the Congressional elections of 1866 in the NorthRead MoreBeing The Only Child - Original Writing867 Words   |  4 Pagesuntil I was about nine and as I got older the idea of ever having a younger sibling became perverse. He or she would be so annoying and instead of having fun with them, I would have to take care of them. That was something I didn’t want. Then it happened. I was twelve years old when my mom and dad sat me down with the news that I was going to be an older brother. It was October 13, 1995 when my little brother Christopher was born. He was an odd looking little thing and I wanted nothing more thanRead MoreThe End Of Chattel Slavery Essay1648 Words   |  7 Pagesfact, Classical Greece was the first society seen that had slave societies but please don’t be mistaken this was not chattel slavery. Chattel slavery in America has changed everyone’s perception on slavery itself. If the African slave trade never happened that we would be more educated on other types of slavery that existed a few centuries ago or even some thousands of years ago. In looking at my question â€Å"what was the true purpose of chattel slavery†, many researchers have argued that chattelRead MoreThe Dred Scott V. Sanford Case1670 Words   |  7 Pagesdocuments). This court ruling made useless of the Missouri compromise of 1850 which made states above the 36 °30’ line Free states and all below the line slaves states (History). This decision was eventually overturned by the Civil War amendments the 13th and 14th which stated that slavery is illegal in all states not only ones in rebellion and that all people born in the united states are citizens including people of color (our documents). To know a little background about Dred Scott, he was bornRead MoreThe Paris And Brussels Attacks1258 Words   |  6 PagesI was just a few months from my 6th birthday when the terror attacks on September 9th 2001 happened. I was too young to full grasp what was happened at the time. I knew it wasn t good by seeing everybody crying, the president was always on TV and the flags were constantly flying at half staff. Fast forwards twelve years later and now terrorist are attacking the city that I live in. Unfortunately terrorism is becoming a predominate issue for not only us in the United States but for our Allies inRead MoreRosa Parks Essay950 Words   |  4 Pagesearned by her mother, who was a teacher, and/or her father, who was a carpenter. Once she was old enough to have her own job, she went to work at the Montgomery Fair Department Store, while her husband was a barber at the time, before the boycott happened. December 5th was when a group of African-American leaders gathered to talk about tactics, and they decided that their boycott effort required a new organization and strong leadership, and McCauley ‘Parks’ was the perfect leader for it. After moving toRead MoreThe Events of Septemeber 11th, 2011: 9/11 Essay726 Words   |  3 Pageskilled during this tragic event. This major world event is referred as 9/11, which resulted in a major crackdown on terrorism. Jennifer Caverly, an 11th grade math teacher, thought 9/11 was a terrifying event †9/11 was a scary moment in my life. If someone could do that so easily, then I was terrified. I felt unsafe in this country .† She still thinks about 9/11 today. â€Å"When I think of a world event, I think about 9/11.† The attacks of September 11th, 2001, was a terrifying event that took away countlessRead MoreThe Conditions of Life for African Americans Before the 1950s773 Words   |  3 PagesCivil Rights Moment many would say that the 1950s was the catalyst for the major change that was brought upon many Americans during the African-American Civil Rights Moment. Many key events happened during the 1950s and if they creased to happen then it would be a great lose and an immense setback. Though key events did occur before the 1950s the majority were placed in the 1950s. The 1950s was a time of great importance for civil rights and essentially the spark in which great change overcame theRead MoreThe Presidential Selection Of 1860855 Words   |  4 Pageshad been at odds mostly up to that point regarding questions of states’ rights and slavery in the territories. Southerners were livid over the preparation by an abolitionist, John Brown, to establish a slave uprising at Harper Ferry, Virginia. This event garnered headlines all over the nation in newspapers and magazines. On the other hand, the Northern Republic seemed equally infuriated by the Supreme Court verdict in the case of Dred Scott v. Stanford, which affirmed free soil unconstitutional. TheRe ad MoreThe Presidential Election Of 1860848 Words   |  4 Pagesnation had been divided mostly up to that point regarding questions of states’ rights and slavery in the territories. Southerners were outraged over the plan by abolitionist, John Brown, to start a slave rebellion at Harper Ferry, Virginia. This event garnered headlines all over the nation in newspapers and magazines. On the other hand, the Northern Republic seemed equally anger by the Supreme Court decision in the case of Dred Scott v. Stanford, which declared free soil unconstitutional. The

Mental Accounting And Its Impact On Consumer - Free Sample

Questions: 1. What is mental accounting? How does mental accounting impact consumer decision making? 2. How might a company take advantage of consumers mental accounting? Give examples. 3. As a marketer, how might you frame certain decisions to benefit from the disparities that arise in ones cognitive accounting? 4. As a consumer, how would you avoid the pitfalls posed by the inequalities of ones cognitive accounting? Answers: Introduction The mental calculation which the consumer does by comparing not just the price but the utility and the source of the money before making any purchase can be called as mental accounting. (Grinblatt, 2001). 1. What is mental accounting? How does mental accounting impact consumer decision making? Mental accounting takes into account all those factors which a customer takes into account while buying any product. The buying pattern of consumers greatly depends on the formula of mental accounting. The consumer makes a mental note comparing the source of the money and the satisfaction which shall be received by spending that money on the product. For instance a person might have saved a certain amount during summers. But he or she might spend a huge amount from that saved chunk on winter sale for the reason that he assumes that the same clothes will sell at a price much higher during winters. (Morck, 2000) 2. How might a company take advantage of consumers mental accounting? Give examples. The companies are very smart. They are spending crores on just to understand the psyche of the consumer before buying any product. Take for instance the popular coffee chains. The rate of a caf late in the city might be $50 whereas the same coffee chain when opening its branch on some hill station will have the same caf late offered at $ 90 for the reason that the tourists will not notice the money but the value of a hot sizzling cup of coffee in chilly weather. (Stein, 2003 3. As a marketer, how might you frame certain decisions to benefit from the disparities that arise in ones cognitive accounting? An intelligent marketing technique that maximizes its profits by harping on the cognitive accounting of all individuals is by maintaining an entire range of sizes of products or garments. A 50 ml bottle of shampoo of some popular brand for $20 might seem unnecessary but at the same time a smaller bottle of the same brand available at a lesser price will be quickly picked up by the customer. (Stein, 2003) 4. As a consumer, how would you avoid the pitfalls posed by the inequalities of ones cognitive accounting? The best way to avoid the pit falls laid out by the smart marketing of the companies is to understand the value which the product will add to our lives, if the product does not seem to add any value then the buying is not necessary. (Morck, 2000) Conclusion The casinos basically thrive on the concept of mental accounting. A person gets huge returns and the smart employees of casino keep motivating people to invest more money and to take back huge returns home. (Stein, 2003)But in most of the cases what happens eventually is that people get so obsessed with winning that uncertain huge amount that they are unable to concentrate on the certain amount which they have in hand. (Grinblatt, 2001)However if they were to part with that kind of money from their salary, they would obviously never take such a decision. References Grinblatt, M. (2001) The disposition effect and momentum. University of California, Los Angeles. Stein, J. (2003), Differences of opinion, short-sale constraints and market crashes. Review of Financial Studies 16:487525 Stulz, R. (1996), Timing, investment opportunities, managerial discretion, and the security issue decision. Journal of Financial Economics 42:159185 Morck, R. (2000) Demand curves for stocks do slope down: new evidence from an index weights adjustment. Journal of Finance 55:893912.

People Leadership and Performance Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the People Leadership and Performance. Answer: Job satisfaction: As a sales executive, I always need to have a job satisfaction, which will help me keep up my interest in the organisation and will positively affect on my commitment level towards the organisation. If I get proper job satisfaction, my input towards the organisation will increase and in future, I will position myself in the same organisation as a team leader or a trainer. As I get job satisfaction, I will be eager to ask for extra work after completion of the due works in order to help the organisation reach its desired goal. Having a job satisfaction will result to more dedication in my work and I will be able to perform activities, which are out of my job description. Having job satisfaction will increase my productivity and this will provide the organisation with better service experience from my side. I expect job satisfaction from the organisation and am willing to give my best to keep up my work in future. Job satisfaction is the first reason for which I will be staying at the organisation for long. As sales executive, my work is very complicated, as I need to interact with many people throughout the day and once I lose my job satisfaction. I will not be able to perform my work well, which will lead to my loss as well as the organisations and I am never willing to become the reason of loss in the organisation. Key workplace attitude: Key workplace attitude is necessary within the work place for employee motivation and engagement to the organization As a sales and marketing executive, I must admit that the work place attitudes play a major part in the organizational involvement and employee motivation. The work place attitudes lead any employee towards continuing their employment with the same organization for a long time as it provides great motivation to the employees. If the employees commitment increases towards the organization, both the employee and the organization are benefitted as their personal attitudes tend to align with their organization. Amongst such key workplace attitudes, respect is the most significant one as it defines the way management and employee interacts with each other. If there is no mutual respect, I will not be able to stay in a company, at the same time the management will not consider me if I am not adequately respectful towards them. Also, I should not have any prideful attitude to other employees for portraying that I work more than others. This will hamper my teamwork and I will not be able to work in a team if I keep bragging about my personal contributions to the company. I should also be helpful towards other employees and our clients. Whenever, any of my co-workers requires my help for achieving the objectives of the company, I should them. Other than that, if customers require my help, I should also be compassionate towards them because that is part of my job. I should also bring innovations in my job, which will help the organization to achieve the goal.

Religions Spread Through Conquest Essays (2403 words) - Culture

Religions Spread Through Conquest When studying history, both in a professional and academic sense, we try to make connections between civilizations and time periods. Historians have attempted to discover universal conezts of human nature, a bond that forms from continent to continent, human being to human being. Is there a conezt quality that all peoples posses, and is reflected in all civilizations? Indeed, it is extremely difficult to make generalizations about centuries of modern history. To say that something is true of all of history is virtually impossible, as a counter-example exists for just about anything that can be said of any group of civilizations. To say that all religions are spread by violence is equally unfair and untrue - because contrasted religions has been spread in exceedingly diverse regions of the world, by vastly different cultures. Islam, as a prime example, has been characterized inequitably by historians and the media as a religion of violence. To put it bluntly, as this article does, "Islam was mainly spread through Arab territorial conquests (Sudo, 4)." However, upon examination, it is not fair to make the generalization that Islam is a religion of violence, and one notices when looking at world religion on a whole, one finds that Islam was no more violent than any other religion. In fact, not only is Islam not a fundamentally violent philosophy, but we can also see that many other religions normally considered "non-violent," such as Christianity or Hinduism, have been spread through bloody conquest. Thus, in searching for a universal conezt of history, we ought not fall into the "fallacy of abstractions," as Sydney J. Harris keenly puts it, and assume that because of isolated incidents and conflicts of territorial ambitions, that all religions have violent tendencies. Islam has, throughout the centuries, been somewhat a victim of circumezce - indeed it has been perceived by many as oppressive and cruel. This belief originated over a thousand years ago, when Islamic peoples first threatened the western world. As they slowly undermined Byzantine authority, Christians became terrified of their presence, resulting in widespread animosity and aversion. Hindus and Buddhists of the South Asian subcontinent lived under Islamic law for hundreds of years (Ahmad, et. al., 186), and eventually, in the twentieth century, split the region into angry factions (Ahmad, et. al., 207). Mohammed, the prophet of Islam, was a great warrior. This invariably lead defeated peoples to believe that he begot a cult of war and violence. Over the centuries, it also has developed the ability to instill a sense of holy purpose onto its believers and soldiers, where they go into a battle of certain death for their faith in the jihad, or holy war. Even today, the jihad is still a potent source of conflict and aversion, as the many of the problems in the Middle East center around the issue of Islamic Fundamentalism and the jihads. Originally, Islam was perceived by western historians as a religion of violence and conquest; "by preying on the caravans of the Quraish, [Mohammed] weakened them to the point of submission (Mohammed and Islam, 1)." In fact, Mohammed was a warrior, aristocrat, and brilliant strategist - a stark contrast to many other holy men of history. He was forced to both defend his cities and force submission, as the passage had shown, because of the strong military powers of his religious predecessors and oppressors, the pagans of the Middle East. Islam means "submission" according to the Islam discussion in class - and one might assume that the submission was attained through military and forceful means. In fact, while Mohammed preached peace from 610 to 622 AD, he attracted few converts and was persecuted by the current ruling paganistic regime. After the visions of 622 AD, he realized that his cause was even more urgent than before, and only at that point did he begin to utilize his military skills (Class Discussion). However, despite the more violent nature that his quest took, even after the revelations by Gabriel in 622 AD, "by reciting his revelations aloud, Mohammed made many converts, (Mohammed and Islam,1)." Mohammed was not a purely violent man, but also a great speaker and demagogue (Mueller, 2). He did

Getting Ready For College Math

Getting Ready For College MathThe sample IA essay sample, also known as the SIIA essay, or the syllabus, is used in college courses across the country. The student will take an IA exam that is not dissimilar to the SAT or ACT in order to graduate from high school.All students that want to go on to college must take a math test, regardless of their ability level. For those students that do have a working knowledge of algebra and advanced mathematics, the SAT will still be the primary method of testing out ability. In addition, students should know the following about the college admission test, or the SAT, before going to take it. This helps them prepare for the main exam that they may not know much about.The first thing that a student should know about taking the sample math SIIA essay, or the SAT math exam, is what time of day they should be studying. Students should have a good idea of when they will be tested. The best way to get this information is by the SAT test date. Taking a reading list of books to read as well as other materials will also help prepare a student for the test. It also helps to make sure that they have the proper math textbooks and practice problems so that they are ready for the test.The second thing that a student should do is to prepare for how they will do on the math section of the exam. The best way to do this is to make a practice test. A study guide will be helpful in helping them with this process. They should make a short test about four times as long as the actual test and do it in order of difficulty. This allows the student to see if they are doing well or not.The third thing that they should do is to set aside some time in their schedule to study. After all, that is what they were told to do when they enrolled in college. By creating a schedule that allows them to take practice tests and set aside time to study, they can be sure that they are preparing themselves for the test.The fourth thing that a student should do is to prepare for how they will do on the math section of the exam. The best way to do this is to make a practice test. A study guide will be helpful in helping them with this process. They should make a short test about four times as long as the actual test and do it in order of difficulty. This allows the student to see if they are doing well or not.The fifth thing that a student should do is to prepare for how they will do on the math section of the exam. The best way to do this is to make a practice test. A study guide will be helpful in helping them with this process. They should make a short test about four times as long as the actual test and do it in order of difficulty.The sixth thing that a student should do is to prepare for how they will do on the math section of the exam. The best way to do this is to make a practice test. A study guide will be helpful in helping them with this process. They should make a short test about four times as long as the actual test and do it in ord er of difficulty.

Triangles and Polygons on SAT Math Strategies and Practice Questions for Geometry

Triangles and Polygons on SAT Math Strategies and Practice Questions for Geometry SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips 25 to 30% of the SAT math section will involve geometry, and the majority of those questions will deal with polygons in some form or another. Polygons come in many shapes and sizes and you will have to know your way around them with confidence in order to ace those SAT questions on test day. Luckily, despite their variety, polygons are often less complex than they look, and a few simple rules and strategies will have you breezing through those geometry questions in no time. This will be your complete guide to SAT polygons- the rules and formulas for various polygons, the kinds of questions you’ll be asked about them, and the best approach for solving these types of questions. What is a Polygon? Before we talk about polygon formulas, let’s look at what exactly a polygon is. A polygon is any flat, enclosed shape that is made up of straight lines. To be â€Å"enclosed† means that the lines must all connect, and no side of the polygon can be curved. Polygons NOT Polygons Polygons come in two broad categories- regular and irregular. A regular polygon has all equal sides and all equal angles, while irregular polygons do not. Regular Polygons Irregular Polygons (Note: most all of the polygons on the SAT that are made up of five sides or more will be regular polygons, but always double-check this! You will be told in the question whether the shape is "regular" or "irregular.") The different types of polygons are named after their number of sides and angles. A triangle is made of three sides and three angles (â€Å"tri† meaning three), a quadrilateral is made of four sides (â€Å"quad† meaning four), a pentagon is made of five sides (â€Å"penta† meaning five), and so on. Most of the polygons you’ll see on the SAT (though not all) will either be triangles or some sort of quadrilateral. Triangles in all their forms are covered in our complete guide to SAT triangles, so let’s look at the various types of quadrilaterals you’ll see on the test. With polygons, you may notice that many definitions will fit inside other definitions. Quadrilaterals There are many different types of quadrilaterals, most of which are subcategories of one another. Parallelogram A parallelogram is a quadrilateral in which each set of opposite sides is both parallel and congruent (equal) with one another. The length may be different than the width, but both widths will be equal and both lengths will be equal. Parallelograms are peculiar in that their opposite angles will be equal and their adjacent angles will be supplementary (meaning any two adjacent angles will add up to 180 degrees). Rectangle A rectangle is a special kind of parallelogram in which each angle is 90 degrees. The rectangle’s length and width can either be equal or different from one another. Square If a rectangle has an equal length and width, it is called a square. This means that a square is a type of rectangle (which in turn is a type of parallelogram), but NOT all rectangles are squares. Rhombus A rhombus is a type of parallelogram in which all four sides are equal and the angles can be any measure (so long as their adjacents add up to 180 degrees and their opposite angles are equal). Just as a square is a type of rectangle, but not all rectangles are squares, a rhombus is a type of parallelogram (but not all parallelograms are rhombuses). Trapezoid A trapezoid is a quadrilateral that has only one set of parallel sides. The other two sides are non-parallel. Kite A kite is a quadrilateral that has two pairs of equal sides that meet one another. And here come the formulas- mwahaha! Polygon Formulas Though there are many different types of polygons, their rules and formulas build off of a few simple basic ideas. Let’s go through the list. Area Formulas Most polygon questions on the SAT will ask you to find the area or the perimeter of a figure. These will be the most important area formulas for you to remember on the test. Area of a Triangle $$(1/2)bh$$ The area of a triangle will always be half the amount of the base times the height. In a right triangle, the height will be equal to one of the legs. In any other type of triangle, you must drop down your own height, perpendicular from the vertex of the triangle to the base. Area of a Square $$l^2 \or {lw}$$ Because each side of a square is equal, you can find the area by either multiplying the length times the width or simply by squaring one of the sides. Area of a Rectangle $$lw$$ For any rectangle that is not a square, you must always multiply the base times the height to find the area. Area of a Parallelogram $$bh$$ Finding the area of a parallelogram is exactly the same as finding the area of a rectangle. Because a parallelogram may slant to the side, we say we must use its base and its height (instead of its length and width), but the principle is the same. You can see why the two actions are equal if you were to transform your parallelogram into a rectangle by dropping down straight heights and shifting the base. Area of a Trapezoid $$[(l_1+l_2)/2]h$$ In order to find the area of a trapezoid, you must find the average of the two parallel bases and multiply this by the height of the trapezoid. Now let's look at an example: In the figure, WXYZ is a rectangle with $\ov{WA} = \ov{BZ} = 4$. The area of the shaded region is 32. What is the length of $\ov{XY}$? [Note: figure not to scale] A. 6B. 8C. 12D. 16E. 20 First, let us fill in our given information. Our shaded figure is a trapezoid, so let us use the formula for finding the area of a trapezoid. area $=[(l_1+l_2)/2]h$ Now if we call the longest base q, the shortest base will be $q−4−4$, or $q−8$. (Why? Because the shortest leg is equal to the longest leg minus our two given lengths of 4). This means we can now plug in our values for the leg lengths. In addition, we are also given a height and an area, so we can plug all of our values into the formula in order to find the length of our longest side, q. $32=[(q+(q−8))/2]2$ $32=(2q+2q−16)/2$ $64=4q−16$ $80=4q$ $20=q$ The length of $\ov{XY}$ (which we designated $q$) is 20. Our final answer is E, 20. In general, the best way to find the area of different kinds of polygons is to transform the polygon into smaller and more manageable shapes. This will also help you if you forget your formulas come test day. For example, if you forget the formula for the area of a trapezoid, turn your trapezoid into a rectangle and two triangles and find the area for each. Let us look to how to solve the above problem using this method instead. We are told that the area of the trapezoid is 32. We also know that we can find the area of a triangle by using the formula ${1/2}bh$. So let us find the areas for both our triangles. ${1/2}bh$ ${1/2}(4)(2)$ ${1/2}8$ $4$ Each triangle is worth 8, so together, both triangles will be: $4+4$ $8$ Now if we add the area of our triangles to our given area of the trapezoid, we can see that the area of our full rectangle is: $32+8$ $40$ Finally, we know that we find the area of a rectangle by multiplying the length times the width. We have a given width of 2, so the length will be: $40=lw$ $40=2l$ 20=l The length of the rectangle (line $\ov{XY}$) will be 20. Again, our final answer is E, 20. Always remember that there are many different ways to find what you need, so don’t be afraid to use your shortcuts! Whichever solving path you choose depends on how you like to work best. Angle Formulas Whether your polygon is regular or irregular, the sum of its interior degrees will always follow the rules of that particular polygon. Every polygon has a different degree sum, but this sum will be consistent, no matter how irregular the polygon. For example, the interior angles of a triangle will always equal 180 degrees (to see more on this, be sure to check out our guide to SAT triangles), whether the triangle is equilateral (a regular polygon), isosceles, acute, or obtuse. All of these triangles will have a total interior degree measure of 180 degrees. So by that same notion, the interior angles of a quadrilateral- whether kite, square, trapezoid, or other- will always add up to be 360 degrees. Why? Because a quadrilateral is made up of two triangles. For example: One interior angle of a parallelogram is 65 degrees. If the remaining angles have measures of $a$, $b$ and $c$, what is the value of $a+b+c$? All quadrilaterals have an interior degree sum of 360, so: $a+b+c+65=360$ $a+b+c=295$ The sum of $\bi a, \bi b$, and $\bi c$ is 295. Interior Angle Sum You will always be able to find the sum of a polygon’s interior angles in one of two ways- by memorizing the interior angle formula, or by dividing your polygon into a series of triangles. Method 1: Interior Angle Formula $$(n−2)180$$ If you have an $n$ number of sides in your polygon, you can always find the interior degree sum by the formula $(n−2)$ times 180 degrees. If you picture starting from one angle and drawing connecting lines to every other angle to make triangles, you can see why this formula has an $n−2$. The reason being that you cannot make a triangle by using the immediate two connecting sides that make up the angle- each would simply be a straight line. To see this in action, let us look at our second method. Method 2: Dividing Your Polygon Into Triangles The reason the above formula works is because you are essentially dividing your polygon into a series of triangles. Because a triangle is always 180 degrees, you can multiply the number of triangles by 180 to find the interior degree sum of your polygon, whether your polygon is regular or irregular. Individual Interior Angles If your polygon is regular, you will also be able to find the individual degree measure of each interior angle by dividing the degree sum by the number of angles. (Note: $n$ can be used for both the number of sides and the number of angles; the number of sides and angles in a polygon will always be equal.) $${(n−2)180}/n$$ Again, you can choose to either use the formula or the triangle dividing method by dividing your interior sum by the number of angles. Angles, angler fish...same thing, right? Side Formulas As we saw earlier, a regular polygon will have all equal side lengths. And if your polygon is regular, you can find the number of sides by using the reverse of the formula for finding angle measures. A regular polygon with n sides has equal angles of 120 degrees. How many sides does the figure have? 3 4 5 6 7 For this question, it will be quickest for us to use our answers and work backwards in order to find the number of sides in our polygon. (For more on how to use the plugging in answers technique, check out our guide to plugging in answers). Let us start at the middle with answer choice C. We know from our angle formula (or by making triangles out of our polygons) that a five sided figure will have: $(n−2)180$ $(5−2)180$ $(3)180$ $540$ degrees. Or again, you can always find your degree sum by making triangles out of your polygon. This way you will still end up with $(3)180=540$ degrees. Now, we also know that this is a regular polygon, so each interior angle will be this same. This means we can find the individual angles by dividing the total by the number of sides/angles. So let us find the individual degree measures by dividing that sum by the number of angles. $540/5=108$ Answer choice C was too small. And we also know that the more sides a figure has, the larger each individual angle will be. This means we can cross off answer choices A and B (60 degrees and 90 degrees, respectively), as those answers would be even smaller. Now let us try answer choice D. $(n−2)180$ $(6−2)180$ $(4)180$ $720$ Or you could find your internal degree sum by once again making triangles from your polygons. Which would again give you $(4)180=720$ degrees. Now let’s divide the degree sum by the number of sides. $720/6=120$ We have found our answer. The figure has 6 sides. Our final answer is D, 6. Luckily for us, the SAT is predictable. You don't need a psychic to figure out what you're likely to see come test day. Typical Polygon Questions Now that we’ve been through all of our polygon rules and formulas, let’s look at a few different types of polygon questions you’ll see on the SAT. Almost all polygon questions will involve a diagram in some way (especially if the question involves any polygon with four or more sides). The few problems that do not use a diagram will generally be simple word problems involving rectangles. Typically, you will be asked to find one of three things in a polygon question: #1: The measure of an angle (or the sum of two or more angles)#2: The perimeter of a figure#3: The area of a figure Let’s look at a few real SAT math examples of these different types of questions. The Measure of an Angle: Because this hexagon is regular, we can find the degree measure of each of its interior angles. We saw earlier that we can find this degree measure by either using our interior angle formula or by dividing our figure into triangles. A hexagon can be split into 4 triangles, so $180 °*4=720$ degrees. There are 6 interior angles in a hexagon, and in a regular hexagon, these will all be equal. So: $720/6=120$ Now the line BO is at the center of the figure, so it bisects the interior angle CBA. The angle CBA is 120, which means that angle $x$ will be: $120/2=60$ Angle $x$ is 60 degrees. Our final answer is B, 60. The Perimeter of a Figure: We are told that ABCE is a square with the area of 1. We know that we find the area of a square by multiplying the length and the width (or by squaring one side), which means that: $lw=1$ This means that: $l=1$ And, $w=1$ We also know that every side is equal in a square. This means that $\ov{AB}, \ov{BC}, \ov{CE}, and \ov{AE}$ are ALL equal to 1. We are also told that CED is an equilateral triangle, which means that each side length is equal. Since we know that $\ov{CE} = 1$, we know that $\ov{CD}$ and $\ov{DE}$ both equal 1 as well. So the perimeter of the polygon as a whole- which is made of lines $\ov{AB}, \ov{BC}, \ov{CD}, \ov{DE}, and \ov{EA}$- is equal to: $1+1+1+1+1=5$ Our final answer is B, 5. [Note: don't get tricked into picking answer choice C! Even though each line in the figure is worth 1 and there are 6 lines, line $\ov{CE}$ is NOT part of the perimeter. This is an answer choice designed to bait you, so be careful to always answer only what the question asks.) The Area of a Figure: We are told that the length of the rug is 8 feet and that the length is also 2 feet more than the width. This means that the width must be: $8−2=6$ Now we also know that we find the area of a rectangle by multiplying width and length. So: $8*6=48$ The area of the rug is 48 square feet. Our final answer is B, 48. And now time for some practical how-to's, from tying a bow to solving your polygon questions. How to Solve a Polygon Question Now that we’ve seen the typical kinds of questions you’ll be asked on the SAT and gone through the process of finding our answers, we can see that each solving method has a few techniques in common. In order to solve your polygon problems most accurately and efficiently, take note of these strategies: #1: Break up figures into smaller shapes Don’t be afraid to write all over your diagrams. Polygons are complicated figures, so always break them into small pieces when you can. Break them apart into triangles, squares, or rectangles and you’ll be able to solve questions that would be impossible to figure out otherwise. Alternatively, you may need to expand your figures by providing extra lines and creating new shapes in which to break your figure. Just always remember to disregard these false lines when you’re finished with the problem. Because this is an awkward shape, let us create a new line and break the figure into two triangles. Next, let us replace our given information. From our definitions, we know that every triangle will have interior angles that add up to 180 degrees. We also know that the two angles we created will be equal. We can use this information to find the missing, equal, angle measures by subtracting our givens from 180 degrees. $180−30−20−20$ $110$ Now, we can divide that number in half to find the measurement of each of the two equal angles. $110/2$ $55$ Now, we can look at the smaller triangle as its own independent triangle in order to find the measure of angle z. Again, the interior angles will measure out to 180 degrees, so: $180−55−55$ $70$ Angle $z$ is 70 degrees. Our final answer is B, 70. #2: Use your shortcuts If you don’t feel comfortable memorizing formulas or if you are worried about getting them wrong on test day, don’t worry about it! Just understand your shortcuts (for example, remember that all polygons can be broken into triangles) and you’ll do just fine. #3: When possible, use PIA or PIN Because polygons involve a lot of data, it can be very easy to confuse your numbers or lose track of the path you need to go down to solve the problem. For this reason, it can often help you to use either the plugging in answer strategy (PIA) or the plugging in numbers strategy (PIN), even though it can sometimes take longer (for more on this, check out our guides to PIA and PIN). #4: Keep your work organized There is a lot of information to keep track of when working with polygons (especially once you break the figure into smaller shapes). It can be all too easy to lose your place or to mix-up your numbers, so be extra vigilant about your organization and don’t let yourself lose a well-earned point due to careless error. Ready? Test Your Knowledge Now it's time to test your knowledge with real SAT math problems. 1. 2. 3. Answers: D, B, 6.5 Answer Explanations 1. Again, when dealing with polygons, it's useful to break them into smaller pieces. For this trapezoid, let us break the figure into a rectangle and a triangle by dropping down a height at a 90 degree angle. This will give us a rectangle, which means that we will be able to fill in the missing lengths. Now, we can also find the final missing length for the leg of the triangle. Since this is a right triangle, we can use the Pythagorean theorem. $a^2+b^2=c^2$ $x^2+15^2=17^2$ $x^2+225=289$ $x^2=64$ $x=8$ Finally, let us add up all the lines that make up the perimeter of the trapezoid. $17+20+15+20+8$ $80$ Our final answer is D, 80. 2. We are told that the larger polygon has equal sides and equal angles. We can also see that the shaded figure has 4 sides and angles, which means it is a quadrilateral. We know that a quadrilateral has 360 degrees, so let us subtract our givens from 360. $x+y=80$ $360−80=280$ Again, we know that the polygon has all equal angles, so we can find the individual degree measures by dividing this found number in half. $280/2=140$ Each interior angle of the polygon will have 140 degrees. Now, we can find the number of sides by either reversing our polygon side formula or by plugging in answers. Let's look at both methods. Method 1: Formula $${(n−2)180}/n$$ We know that this formula gives us the measure of each interior angle, so let us use the knowledge of our individual interior angle (our found 140 degrees) and plug it in to find n, the number of sides. $140={(n−2)180}/n$ $140n=(n−2)180$ $140n=180n−360$ $−40n=−360$ $n=9$ Our polygon has 9 sides. Our answer is B, 9. Method 2: Plugging in answers We can also use our method of plugging in answers to find the number of sides in our polygon. As always, let us select answer option C. Answer choice C gives us 8 sides. We know that a polygon with eight sides will be broken into 6 triangles. So it will have: $180*6$ $1080$ degrees total Now, if we divide this total by the number of sides, we get: $1080/8$ $135$ Each interior angle will be 135 degrees. This answer is close, but not quite what we want. We also know that the more sides a regular polygon has, the larger each interior angle measure will be (an equilateral triangle's angles are each 60 degrees, a rectangle's angles are each 90 degrees, and so on), so we need to pick a polygon with more than 8 sides. Let us then try answer choice B, 9 sides. We know that a 9-sided polygon will be made from 7 triangles. This means that the total interior degree measure will be: $180*7$ $1260$ And we know that each angle measure will be equal, so: $1260/9$ $140$ We have found our correct answer- a 9-sided polygon will have individual angle measures of 140 degrees. Our final answer is B, nine. 3. Let us begin by breaking up our figure into smaller, more manageable polygons. We know that the larger rectangle will have an area of: $2*1$ $2$ The smaller rectangle will have an area of: $1*x$ $x$ (Note: we are using $x$ in place of one of the smaller sides of the small rectangles, since we do not yet know its length) We are told that the total area is $9/4$, so: $2+x=9/4$ $x=9/4−2$ $x=9/4−8/4$ $x=1/4$ Now that we know the length of x, we can find the perimeter of the whole figure. Let us add all of the lengths of our exposed sides to find our perimeter. $1+2+1+0.25+1+0.25+1$ $6.5$ Our perimeter is $6.5.$ Our final answer is 6.5. I think you deserve a present for pushing through on polygons, don't you? The Take Aways Though polygon questions may seem complicated, all polygons follow just a handful of rules. You may come across irregular polygons and ones with many sides, but the basic strategies and formulas will apply regardless. So long as you follow your solve steps, keep your work well organized, and remember your key definitions, you will be able to take on and solve polygon questions that once seemed utterly obscure. What’s Next? Phew! You knocked out polygons and now it's time to make sure the rest of your math know-how is in top shape. First, make sure you have working knowledge of all the math topics on the SAT so that you can get a sense of your strengths and weaknesses. Next, find more topic-specific SAT math guides like this one so that you can turn those weak areas into strengths. Need to brush up on your probability questions? Fractions and ratios? Lines and angles? No matter what topic you need, we've got you covered. Running out of time on the SAT math? Look to our guide on how to best boost your time (and your score!). Worried about test day? Take a look at how you should prepare for the actual day in question. Want to get a perfect score? Check out our guide to getting an 800 on SAT math, written by a perfect scorer. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math strategy guide, you'll love our program. Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial: