High School Math : How to find the area of a circle

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for High School Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Area Of A Circle

What is the area of a circle with a radius of \(\displaystyle 8\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 64\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 8\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 16\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 32\pi\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 64\pi\)

Explanation:

To find the area of a circle you must plug the radius into \(\displaystyle r\) in the following equation.

In this case, the radius is \(\displaystyle 8\), so we plug \(\displaystyle 8\) into \(\displaystyle r\).

\(\displaystyle A=\pi(8)^2=\pi(64)\)

 \(\displaystyle A=64\pi\)

 

Example Question #1 : Radius

What is the area of a circle with a radius of 9?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 9\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 81\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 24\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 18\pi\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 81\pi\)

Explanation:

To find the area of a circle you must plug the radius into \(\displaystyle r\) in the following equation

In this case the radius is 9 so we plug it into \(\displaystyle r\) to get  \(\displaystyle 9^{2}=81\)

We then multiply it by \(\displaystyle \pi\) to get our answer \(\displaystyle A=81\pi\)

Example Question #51 : Geometry

Circle_with_radius

Find the area of a circle with a radius of \(\displaystyle r=6m\).

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 36m^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} 6\pi m^{2}\)

Not enough information to solve

\(\displaystyle 36\pi m^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} 63\pi m^{2}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 36\pi m^{2}\)

Explanation:

In order to find the circle's area, utilize the formula \(\displaystyle \dpi{100} A=\pi r^{2}\).

\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} A=\pi r^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} A=\pi (6m)^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \rightarrow 36\pi m^{2}\)

Example Question #3 : How To Find The Area Of A Circle

Circle_with_radius

A circle has a radius \(\displaystyle r=5in\), what is its area?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} 25 in^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 25\pi in^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} 25\pi^{2} in^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} 5\pi in^{2}\)

Not enough information to solve

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 25\pi in^{2}\)

Explanation:

In order to find the circle's area, utilize the formula \(\displaystyle \dpi{100} A=\pi r^{2}\).

\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} A=\pi r^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle A=\pi (5in)^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle \rightarrow 25\pi in^{2}\)

Example Question #1 : Radius

Circle_with_diameter

A circle has a diameter \(\displaystyle D=\pi\), what is its area?

Possible Answers:

Not enough information to solve

\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \frac{\pi^{2}}{4}\)

\(\displaystyle \pi^{3}\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{\pi^{3}}{4}\)

\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} \frac{\pi^{2}}{2}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \frac{\pi^{3}}{4}\)

Explanation:

In order to find the circle's area, utilize the formula \(\displaystyle \dpi{100} A=\pi r^{2}\).

\(\displaystyle \dpi{100} A=\pi r^{2}\)

However, we need to convert our diameter into a radius.

\(\displaystyle D=2r\)

\(\displaystyle \pi=2r\)

Solve for \(\displaystyle r\).

\(\displaystyle r=\frac{\pi}{2}\)

Insert the radius into the area formula and solve.

\(\displaystyle A=\pi (\frac{\pi}{2})^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle A=\pi*\frac{\pi^{2}}{4}\)

\(\displaystyle A=\frac{\pi}{1}*\frac{\pi^{2}}{4}\)

\(\displaystyle \rightarrow \frac{\pi^{3}}{4}\)

Example Question #5 : How To Find The Area Of A Circle

Circles

Refer to the above drawing. This shows a ring-shaped garden with inner radius 20 feet and outer radius 40 feet. To the nearest square foot, what is the area of the garden?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 2,514 \; \textrm{ft}^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 1,257 \; \textrm{ft}^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 3,770 \; \textrm{ft}^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 2,827 \; \textrm{ft}^{2}\)

\(\displaystyle 1,885 \; \textrm{ft}^{2}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 3,770 \; \textrm{ft}^{2}\)

Explanation:

The total area of the garden is the area of the outer circle - \(\displaystyle R = 40\) - minus that of the inner circle - \(\displaystyle r=20\).

\(\displaystyle A = \pi R^{2} - \pi r^{2} = \pi \cdot 40^{2} - \pi \cdot 20^{2} \approx 5,027 - 1,257 =3,770\)

Example Question #1 : Radius

What is the area of a circle with a radius of \(\displaystyle 5\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 10\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 5\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 25\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 25\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 25\pi\)

Explanation:

To find the area of a circle you must plug the radius into the following equation

In this case the radius is \(\displaystyle 5\) so we plug it in and square it to get \(\displaystyle 5^{2}=25\)

We then multiply it by \(\displaystyle \pi\) to get our answer \(\displaystyle A=25\pi\)

Example Question #7 : Radius

Four circles are drawn inside of a square. What is the area of the shaded region?

Question_2

 

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 32\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 4\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 8\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 16\pi\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 16\pi\)

Explanation:

Each set of two circles fits perfectly between the sides of the square. The diameters of two of the circle must equal the length of one side of the square.

\(\displaystyle 2d=s\)

Each side has a length of 8 and the diameter of a circle is twice the radius. We can use these relationships to substitute into the first equation.

\(\displaystyle d=2r\ \text{and}\ s=8\)

\(\displaystyle 2(2r)=8\)

Solve for the radius, \(\displaystyle \small r\).

\(\displaystyle r=(8)(\frac{1}{4})=2\)

The area of a circle can be calculated using the equation \(\displaystyle A=r^2\pi\). The shaded region is made of four circles, all with the same radius.

The area of one circle is given below.

\(\displaystyle A=r^2\pi=2^2\pi=4\pi\)

The area of the shaded region (four circles) would be \(\displaystyle 4(4\pi)=16\pi\).

Example Question #1 : Radius

O, M, and I represent three circles. Each circle shares the same center point. What is the area of the shaded region?

Question_3

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 64\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 26\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 17\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 54\pi\)

 

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 54\pi\)

 

Explanation:

The area of the shaded region can be found by using the areas of the individual circles. The area of the full figure is the area of circle O. The area of the center shaded area is the area of circle I. Circle M contains circle I. The area of the shaded region will be equal to \(\displaystyle A_O-A_M+A_I\).

First, find the area of each circle using \(\displaystyle \small A_{circ}=\pi r^2\).

\(\displaystyle r_O=3+3+\frac{1}{2}6=9\)

\(\displaystyle A_O=\pi (9)^2=81\pi\)

\(\displaystyle r_M=3+\frac{1}{2}6=6\)

\(\displaystyle A_M=\pi(6)^2=36\pi\)

\(\displaystyle r_I=\frac{1}{2}6=3\)

\(\displaystyle A_I=\pi(3)^2=9\pi\)

Now we can substitute into our equation.

 \(\displaystyle A_O-A_M+A_I\)

 \(\displaystyle 81\pi-36\pi+9\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 54\pi\)

Example Question #6 : Radius

What is the area of a circle with a diameter of \(\displaystyle 10\)?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 25\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 100\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 5\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 10\pi\)

\(\displaystyle 2.5\pi\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 25\pi\)

Explanation:

The formula for area of a circle is \(\displaystyle A=\pi r^2\). Unfortunately, the problem gives us a diameter instead of a radius. The good news is that the diameter is equal to twice the length of the radius or, mathematically, \(\displaystyle d=2r\)

Plug in the given diameter to find the radius:

\(\displaystyle d=2r\)

\(\displaystyle 10=2r\)

\(\displaystyle \frac{10}{2}=r\)

\(\displaystyle 5=r\)

Plug that into our first equation to solve:

\(\displaystyle A=\pi r ^2\)

\(\displaystyle A=\pi 5^2\)

\(\displaystyle A=25\pi\)

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