ACT Math : Circles

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Length Of An Arc

If a circle has a circumference of \displaystyle 24, what is the measure of the arc contained by a \displaystyle 60 degree angle located at the center of the circle? 

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 8

\displaystyle 4\pi

\displaystyle 4

\displaystyle 16

\displaystyle 4.8

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 4

Explanation:

A circle has a total of \displaystyle 360 degrees. If our angle is located at the center and is \displaystyle 60 degrees, we can do \displaystyle \frac{60}{360}=\frac{1}{6} to see that our angle makes up \displaystyle \frac{1}{6} of the complete circle.

Therefore, our arc is going to be \displaystyle \frac{1}{6} of our total circumference. \displaystyle 24\cdot \frac{1}{6}=\frac{24}{6}=4

Example Question #521 : Geometry

What is the area of the sector of a circle with a central angle of \displaystyle 120 degrees and a radius of \displaystyle 5cm? Simplify any fractions and leave your answer in terms of \displaystyle \pi.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \frac{3\pi}{25}cm^2

\displaystyle 24\pi cm^2

\displaystyle 3000\pi cm^2

\displaystyle \frac{25\pi}{3} cm^2

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{25\pi}{3} cm^2

Explanation:

The formula for the area of a sector of a circle is:

\displaystyle \frac{central\: angle}{360}*\pi r^2

The central angle given is 120 thus:

\displaystyle \frac{120}{360}*\pi (5cm)^2= \frac{1}{3}\pi 25cm^2 = \frac{25\pi}{3}cm^2

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Length Of An Arc

A water wheel turns a \displaystyle 120^{\circ} arc every minute. If the radius of the wheel is \displaystyle 6m, how far in meters does the wheel turn along its edge each minute?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 4\pi m

\displaystyle 8\pi m

\displaystyle \frac{5\pi}{3} m

\displaystyle \frac{\pi}{3} m

\displaystyle 10\pi m

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 4\pi m

Explanation:

If the radius is \displaystyle 6m, then the circumference of the wheel is:

\displaystyle C = 2r\pi = 12\pi 

If the wheel turns \displaystyle 120^{\circ} each minute, then it turns \displaystyle \frac{120^{\circ}}{360^{\circ}} = \frac{1}{3} of the circumference each minute.

\displaystyle d = 12\pi \cdot \frac{1}{3} = 4\pi

Thus, the wheel turns \displaystyle 4\pi m each minute.

Example Question #4 : How To Find The Length Of An Arc

What is the length of the arc \displaystyle ABC?

 arc2

The total area of the circle is \displaystyle 64\pi \, in^{2} and the area of the shaded region is \displaystyle 12\pi \,in^{2}.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 8\:in

\displaystyle \frac{12\pi}{5}\:in

\displaystyle \frac{3\pi}{16}\:in

\displaystyle 16\pi\:in

\displaystyle 3\pi\:in

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 3\pi\:in

Explanation:

If the area of the circle is \displaystyle 64\pi\:in^2, the radius can be found using the formula for the area of a circle:
\displaystyle A=\pi r^2

For our data, this is:

\displaystyle 64\pi=\pi r^2

\displaystyle r^2=64

Therefore, \displaystyle r=8\:in

Now, the circumference of the circle is defined as:

\displaystyle C=2\pi r

For our data, this is:

\displaystyle C=2*8*\pi=16\pi\:in

Now, we know that a sector is a percentage of the total area. This percentage is easily calculated:

\displaystyle \frac{12\pi\:in^2}{64\pi\:in^2}=\frac{3}{16}

So, the length of the arc will merely be the same percentage, but now applied to the circumference:

\displaystyle \frac{3}{16} * 16\pi\:in = 3\pi\:in

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Angle Of A Sector

Circle

In the circle above, the length of arc BC is 100 degrees, and the segment AC is a diameter. What is the measure of angle ADB in degrees?

Possible Answers:

100

90

80

40

cannot be determined

Correct answer:

40

Explanation:

Since we know that segment AC is a diameter, this means that the length of the arc ABC must be 180 degrees. This means that the length of the arc AB must be 80 degrees. 

Since angle ADB is an inscribed angle, its measure is equal to half of the measure of the angle of the arc that it intercepts. This means that the measure of the angle is half of 80 degrees, or 40 degrees.

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Angle Of A Sector

What is the angle of a sector of area \displaystyle 45 \displaystyle in^2 on a circle having a radius of \displaystyle 15\:in?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 3.00^{\circ}

\displaystyle 0.06^{\circ}

\displaystyle 72.00^{\circ}

\displaystyle 15.22^{\circ}

\displaystyle 22.92^{\circ}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 22.92^{\circ}

Explanation:

To begin, you should compute the complete area of the circle:

\displaystyle A=\pi r^2

For your data, this is:

\displaystyle A=15^2\pi=225\pi

Now, to find the angle measure of a sector, you find what portion of the circle the sector is. Here, it is:

\displaystyle \frac{45}{225\pi}

Now, multiply this by the total \displaystyle 360 degrees in a circle:

\displaystyle \frac{45}{225\pi}*360=22.918311805212

Rounded, this is \displaystyle 22.92^{\circ}.

Example Question #521 : Plane Geometry

What is the angle of a sector that has an arc length of \displaystyle 13.5 \displaystyle in on a circle of diameter \displaystyle 12 \displaystyle in?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 14.24^{\circ}

\displaystyle 35.81^{\circ}

\displaystyle 128.92^{\circ}

\displaystyle 194.14^{\circ}

\displaystyle 10.74^{\circ}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 128.92^{\circ}

Explanation:

The first thing to do for this problem is to compute the total circumference of the circle. Notice that you were given the diameter. The proper equation is therefore:

\displaystyle C=\pi d

For your data, this means,

\displaystyle C=12\pi

Now, to compute the angle, note that you have a percentage of the total circumference, based upon your arc length:

\displaystyle \frac{13.5}{12\pi}*360=128.9155039044336

Rounded to the nearest hundredth, this is \displaystyle 128.92^{\circ}.

Example Question #2 : How To Find The Length Of The Diameter

The perimeter of a circle is 36 π.  What is the diameter of the circle?

Possible Answers:

3

36

72

6

18

Correct answer:

36

Explanation:

The perimeter of a circle = 2 πr = πd

Therefore d = 36

Example Question #522 : Plane Geometry

Two legs of a right triangle measure 3 and 4, respectively. What is the area of the circle that circumscribes the triangle? 

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 25\pi

\displaystyle 12.5\pi

\displaystyle 6\pi

\displaystyle 5\pi

\displaystyle 6.25\pi

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 6.25\pi

Explanation:

For the circle to contain all 3 vertices, the hypotenuse must be the diameter of the circle. The hypotenuse, and therefore the diameter, is 5, since this must be a 3-4-5 right triangle.

The equation for the area of a circle is A = πr2.

\displaystyle A=\pi (5/2)^2=6.25\pi

Example Question #523 : Plane Geometry

If a circle has an area of \displaystyle 49\pi, what is the diameter of the circle?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 49

\displaystyle 7

\displaystyle 14

\displaystyle 3.5

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 14

Explanation:

1. Use the area to find the radius:

 \displaystyle Area=\pi r^{2}

\displaystyle 49\pi=\pi r^{2}

\displaystyle 49=r^{2}

\displaystyle r=7

2. Use the radius to find the diameter:

\displaystyle d=2r=2\cdot 7=14

 

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