A hexagon is a six-sided, two dimensional figure. Its diameter is measured from a vertex, or intersection of two sides, through the center, to the opposite side to the point where two sides intersect. A common example of hexagons in nature are beehives. To calculate the diameter, you need to measure the length of one of the hexagon's sides.

Step 1

Measure the length of one side of the hexagon with the ruler and record the length.

Step 2

Measure the other sides of the hexagon to make sure the hexagon is regular. In a regular hexagon, all six sides will be equal. If the hexagon is irregular, it will not have a diameter.

Step 3

Multiply the side length by 2 to calculate the diameter of the hexagon. In a hexagon, the radius, or distance from the intersection of two sides to the center of the hexagon, is equal to the side length, and the diameter equals twice the radius. For example, if each side in your hexagon equals 13 inches, your diameter would be 26 inches.