Question

I know that the formula for finding the area of a rectangle is just length * width, and the peremiter formula is 2(length) + 2(width). My question is, whats the most efficient way to find the area and perimeter of a rectangle object made up of other objects?

My Code Snippet:

class Rectangle
{

public Line left { get; set; }
public Line top { get; set; }
public Line right { get; set; }
public Line bottom { get; set; }

public Rectangle() : this(new Line(new Point(), new Point())) { }

public Rectangle(Line diaganol)
{
    Point beginningDiagonalPoint = diaganol.startPoint;
    Point endingDiagonalPoint = diaganol.endPoint;

    int begXC = beginningDiagonalPoint.xCoord;
    int begYC = beginningDiagonalPoint.yCoord;

    int endXC = endingDiagonalPoint.xCoord;
    int endYC = endingDiagonalPoint.yCoord;



    Point rightSideEnd = new Point(endXC, begYC);
    Point leftSideEnd = new Point(begXC, endYC);


    right = new Line(endingDiagonalPoint, rightSideEnd);
    left = new Line(beginningDiagonalPoint, leftSideEnd);
    top = new Line(leftSideEnd, endingDiagonalPoint);
    bottom = new Line(rightSideEnd, beginningDiagonalPoint);
}
}

I want to write two methods, one to calculate the area, and one to caclulate the perimeter, how should I approach this with objects?

I know I could take the xfinal coord – xinitial coord for width, and yfinal – yinitial for the length, but is there another and/or better way of doing this with objects?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Your perimeter is (endXC – begXC)*2 + (endYC – begYC) *2

Your area is (endXC – begXC) * (endYC – begYC)

…assuming the points are ordered in the poitive x and y directions (otherwise enclose each calc in abs e.g. abs(endXC – begXC)

if area and circumference are likely to be called, you might want to calculate & store them on init