GMAT Math : DSQ: Calculating circumference

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for GMAT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Dsq: Calculating Circumference

Square S is inscribed in circle C as in the figure above. What is the circumference of C?

(1) The perimeter of S is 16.

(2) The area of S is 36.

Possible Answers:

B. Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (1) alone is not sufficient.

E. Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient.

C. BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.

D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.

A. Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but statement (2) alone is not sufficient.

Correct answer:

D. EACH statement ALONE is sufficient.

Explanation:

From statement (1), we know that the side of S is 4, and then we can calculate the diagonal of S using the Pythagorean theorem: . The diagonal of S is the diameter of C. Therefore, we can calculate the circumference by using . From statement (2), we know that the side of S is 6, and then we can calculate the diagonal of S using the Pythagorean theorem:

The diagonal of S is the diameter of C. Therefore, we can calculate the circumference by using .

Example Question #2 : Dsq: Calculating Circumference

What is the circumference of circle J?

I) Circle J has an area of .

II) Circle J has a diameter of .

Possible Answers:

Statement 1 is sufficient to solve the question, but statement 2 is not sufficient to solve the question.

Both statements taken together are sufficient to solve the question.

Each statement alone is enough to solve the question.

Statement 2 is sufficient to solve the question, but statement 1 is not sufficient to solve the question.

Neither statement is sufficient to solve the question. More information is needed.

Correct answer:

Each statement alone is enough to solve the question.

Explanation:

We are given the area and diameter of a circle and asked to find the circumference. We know that diameter is twice the length of a radius, so we also have our radius.

Given the following equations:

We can see that knowing either diameter or area will allow us to find the circumference.

Thus: Each statement alone is enough to solve the question.

Example Question #3 : Dsq: Calculating Circumference

What is the circumference of the circle given by: 

I) .

II) The slope of the tangent to the circle at  is undefined.

Possible Answers:

Statement I is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement II is not sufficient to answer the question.

Neither statement is sufficient to answer the question. More information is needed.

Statement II is sufficient to answer the question, but Statement I is not sufficient to answer the question.

Both statements together are needed to answer the question.

Either statement alone is sufficient to answer the question.

Correct answer:

Either statement alone is sufficient to answer the question.

Explanation:

All we need to find circumference is the radius. 

I) Gives us the radius squared, so we could find circumference with I.

II) Tells us the slope of the tangent line at a given point is undefined. Only vertical lines have undefined slope. The tangent line is perpendicular to the radius, so we can find our radius by drawing a picture and comparing the location of the center to the location of the tangent line.

So either statement will be sufficient.

Example Question #33 : Circles

What is the circumference of Circle ?

1.) The radius of the circle is .

2.) The circle is inside another circle of area .

Possible Answers:

Each statement alone is sufficient to solve the question.

Statement 1 is sufficient to solve the question, but Statement 2 is not sufficient to solve the question.

Statement 2 is sufficient to solve the question, but Statement 1 is not sufficient to solve the question.

Both statements taken together are sufficient to solve the question.

Neither statement is sufficient to solve the question. More information is needed. 

Correct answer:

Statement 1 is sufficient to solve the question, but Statement 2 is not sufficient to solve the question.

Explanation:

We are asked to find the circumference  of Circle  and are given the diameter and the area. We also know that .  Taking each statement individually:

1.) The radius  is  and we know that . Therefore, Statement 1 is sufficient to solve for the circumference of the circle by itself.

 

2.) The area  of the outside circle is , but we cannot use this to determine the circumference of Circle  because we don't know where  is inside the larger outside circle.  

Example Question #4 : Dsq: Calculating Circumference

What is the circumference of Circle ?

1.) The diameter of the circle is .

2.) The area of the circle is .

Possible Answers:

Each statement alone is sufficient to solve the question.

Statement 1 is sufficient to solve the question, but Statement 2 is not sufficient to solve the question.

Statement 2 is sufficient to solve the question, but Statement 1 is not sufficient to solve the question.

Neither statement is sufficient to solve the question. More information is needed. 

Both statements taken together are sufficient to solve the question.

Correct answer:

Each statement alone is sufficient to solve the question.

Explanation:

We are asked to find the circumference  of Circle  and are given the diameter and the area. We also know that .  Taking each statement individually:

1.) The diameter  is  and we know that the radius , so . Therefore, Statement 1 is sufficient to solve for the circumference of the circle by itself.

 

2.) The area  of Circle  is , so we can determine that the radius . Since the circumference , Statement 2 is is sufficient to solve for the circumference of the circle by itself.

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