A perimeter is a path that surrounds a 2D shape. The word comes from the Greek words peri and meter. The term is used either for the path or the length of the outline of a shape. Calculating the perimeter has considerable practical applications. The perimeter can be used to calculate the length of fence required to surround a yard or garden. The perimeter of a rhombus is the sum of all its sides. The rhombus is a quadrilateral in which all four sides are of the same measure.
Let’s learn about the perimeter of rhombus, its formula, and its properties.
Rhombus – A 2D Plane Figure
A rhombus is a special type of parallelogram. In a rhombus, opposite sides are parallel and the opposite angles are equal. Moreover, all the sides of a rhombus are equal in length, and the diagonals bisect each other at right angles. The rhombus is also called a diamond or rhombus diamond.

These properties of the rhombus help in distinguishing the rhombus from other quadrilaterals.
- All four sides are equal
- The opposite sides are parallel
- The opposite angles are equal
- The sum of any two adjacent angles is $180^{\circ}$
- The diagonals bisect each other at right angles
- Each diagonal bisects the vertex angles
What is the Perimeter of a Rhombus?
The perimeter of a rhombus is the total length of its boundary and it is calculated by adding the length of all its sides (edges). Since all the sides of a rhombus are equal, the perimeter of a rhombus can also be expressed as ‘four times the sides’.
Perimeter of Rhombus Formula Using Sides
As discussed above, the perimeter of a rhombus is the sum of the lengths of all its sides. Since the sides of a rhombus are of equal lengths if we consider side length as $a$, then the perimeter of the rhombus is $a + a + a + a = 4a$. Thus, the perimeter of the rhombus formula is $P = 4a$.

Examples
Ex 1: Find the perimeter of a rhombus whose side is $2.8 in$.
Length of side of rhombus $a = 2.8 in$.
Perimeter of rhombus $P = 4a = 4 \times 2.8 = 11.2 in$.
Therefore, the perimeter of a rhombus of side $2.8 in$ is $11.2 in$.
Ex 2: Find the length of each side of a rhombus whose perimeter is $67 cm$.
Perimeter of a rhombus $P = 67 cm$
Let the length of each side of the rhombus be $a$.
Therefore, $4a = 67 => a = \frac {67}{4} = 16.75 cm$.
Perimeter of Rhombus Formula Using Diagonals
Consider a rhombus of side length $a$ and the length of the two diagonals as $p$ and $q$. As discussed above the diagonals of a rhombus bisect each other at right angles. So, we get four congruent right triangles with the centre of the rhombus as the common vertex.
Now by Pythagoras theorem, we have $a^{2} = \left(\frac {p}{2}\right)^{2} + \left(\frac {q}{2}\right)^{2}$
$=> a^{2} = \frac {p^{2}}{4} + \frac {q^{2}}{4} = \frac {p^{2} + q^{2}}{4}$
$=>a = \frac {\sqrt{p^{2} + q^{2}}}{2}$
Therefore, the perimeter of a rhombus becomes $4a = 4 \times \frac {\sqrt{p^{2} + q^{2}}}{2} = 2 \sqrt{p^{2} + q^{2}}$.
Examples
Ex 1: Find the perimeter of a rhombus whose diagonals are $6 cm$ and $8 cm$.
The lengths of the diagonals are $p = 6 cm$ and $q = 8 cm$
Perimeter of rhombus = $2 \sqrt{p^{2} + q^{2}} = 2 \times \sqrt{6^{2} + 8^{2}} = 2 \times \sqrt{36 +64} = 2 \times \sqrt{100} = 2 \times 10 = 20 cm$
Ex 2: The perimeter of a rhombus is $40 in$. What is the length of the other diagonal, if the length of one diagonal is $12 in$?
The perimeter of a rhombus = $40 in$
One of the diagonal $p = 12 in$
$\text{Perimeter} = 2 \sqrt{p^{2} + q^{2}} => 40 = 2 \times \sqrt{12^{2} + q^{2}}$
$=> \frac{40}{2} = \sqrt{144 + q^{2}} => 20 = \sqrt{144 + q^{2}}$
Squaring both sides
$20^{2} = 144 + q^{2} => 400 = 144 + q^{2} => q^{2} = 400 – 144 => q^{2} = 256$
Taking the square root of both sides
$q = \sqrt{256} = 16$
Therefore, the length of the other diagonal is $16 in$.
Note: You can use the factorization method to find $\sqrt{256}$. $256 = 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 \times 2 = 2^{8}$. Therefore, $\sqrt{256} = \sqrt {2^{8}} = \sqrt {2^4} = 16$.
Conclusion
A rhombus is a quadrilateral with all sides equal and angles not $90^{\circ}$. The perimeter of the rhombus is obtained by using the formula $4a$, where $a$ is the length of each side of the rhombus.
Practice Problems
- Find the perimeter of a rhombus whose sides are of length
- $7.8 m$
- $45 mm$
- Find the length of each side of a rhombus, if the perimeter is
- $98 in$
- $42 cm$
- Find the perimeter of a rhombus whose diagonals are of lengths
- $14 mm$ and $48 mm$
- $40 m$ and $42 m$
Recommended Reading
- What is Length? (With Definition, Unit & Conversion)
- Weight – Definition, Unit & Conversion
- What is Capacity (Definition, Units & Examples)
- What is Time? (With Definition, Facts & Examples)
- What is Temperature? (With Definition & Units)
- Reading A Calendar
- What Are 2D Shapes – Names, Definitions & Properties
- Perimeter of Rectangle – Definition, Formula & Examples
- Perimeter of Square – Definition, Formula & Examples
- Area of Rectangle – Definition, Formula & Examples
- Area of Square – Definition, Formula & Examples
- Perimeter of Triangle – Definition, Formula & Examples
- Circumference (Perimeter) of a Circle – Definition, Formula & Examples
- Perimeter of Kite – Definition, Formula & Examples
FAQs
What is the perimeter of a rhombus?
The perimeter of a rhombus is the sum of its four sides. Since all the four sides of a rhombus are equal, so the perimeter of a rhombus is $4a$, where $a$ is the length of each side.
How to find the perimeter of the rhombus when only diagonals are given?
One can find the perimeter of a rhombus by knowing the lengths of the two diagonals. The formula used to find the perimeter of a rhombus using diagonals is $\text{Perimeter} = 2 \sqrt{p^{2} + q^{2}}$, where $p$ and $q$ are the lengths of the diagonals of a rhombus.
How to find the perimeter of the rhombus?
The perimeter of a rhombus can be found in two ways.
a) When the length of sides is known: $\text {Perimeter} = 4a$, where $a$ is the length of each side of a rhombus.
b) When the length of diagonals is known: $\text {Perimeter} = 2 \sqrt{p^{2} + q^{2}}$, where $p$ and $q$ are the length of two diagonals respectively.