Example 14 (1982 National High School League Question) If all the diagonals of a convex -sided polygon are equal, then:
Pick one
Solution
Solution: Choose C. Reason: Using a regular pentagon as a counterexample can negate conclusion A; using a square as a counterexample can negate conclusion B; using an isosceles trapezoid as a counterexample can negate conclusion D. Therefore, the correct conclusion can only be C. In fact, to affirm C positively, it still needs to be proven that leads to a contradiction. Therefore, the number of sides of a convex polygon with all diagonals equal cannot be , i.e., it can only be a quadrilateral or a pentagon. Examples of a square and a regular pentagon show that convex quadrilaterals and pentagons with all diagonals equal do exist.
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