ISEE Upper Level Math : Circles

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ISEE Upper Level Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Circles

A circle has a radius of \displaystyle 2. What is the ratio of the diameter to the circumference?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 4:25.18

\displaystyle 2:8

\displaystyle 2:4

\displaystyle 1:3.14

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 1:3.14

Explanation:

The information about the radius is unnecessary to the problem. The equation of the circumference is:

\displaystyle C=d\pi

\displaystyle \pi \approx 3.14

\displaystyle C=3.14d

Therefore, the circumference is \displaystyle 3.14 times larger than the diameter, and the ratio of the diameter to the circumference is:

\displaystyle 1:3.14

Example Question #2 : Circles

A circle has a radius of \displaystyle 2. What is the ratio of the diameter to the circumference?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 1:3.14

\displaystyle 4:25.18

\displaystyle 4:3.14

\displaystyle 2:8

\displaystyle 2:4

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 1:3.14

Explanation:

The information about the radius is unnecessary to the problem. The equation of the circumference is:

\displaystyle C=d\pi

\displaystyle \pi \approx 3.14

\displaystyle C=3.14d

Therefore, the circumference is \displaystyle 3.14 times larger than the diameter, and the ratio of the diameter to the circumference is:

\displaystyle 1:3.14

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Length Of The Diameter

The area of a circle is \displaystyle 25\pi. Give the diameter and radius of the circle.

Possible Answers:

diameter = \displaystyle 6, radius = \displaystyle 3

diameter = \displaystyle 8, radius = \displaystyle 4

diameter = \displaystyle 10, radius = \displaystyle 5

diameter = \displaystyle 5, radius = \displaystyle 2.5

diameter = \displaystyle 12, radius = \displaystyle 6

Correct answer:

diameter = \displaystyle 10, radius = \displaystyle 5

Explanation:

The area of a circle can be calculated as \displaystyle Area=\pi r^2 where \displaystyle r  is the radius of the circle, and \displaystyle \pi is approximately \displaystyle 3.14.

 \displaystyle Area=\pi r^2\Rightarrow r^2=\frac{Area}{\pi}

\displaystyle \Rightarrow r=\sqrt{\frac{Area}{\pi}}=\sqrt{\frac{25 \pi}{\pi}}=\sqrt{25}\Rightarrow r=5

To find the diameter, multiply the radius by \displaystyle 2:

\displaystyle d=2r=2\times 5=10

Example Question #132 : Geometry

If the area of a circle is equal to \displaystyle 36\pi, then what is the diameter?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 18\pi

\displaystyle 12\pi

\displaystyle 12

\displaystyle 6\pi

\displaystyle 8\pi

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 12

Explanation:

If the area of a circle is equal to \displaystyle 36\pi, then the radius is equal to \displaystyle 6

This is because the equation for the area of a circle is \displaystyle \pi r^{2}.

Thus, \displaystyle \pi r^{2}=36 \pi.

\displaystyle r^{2}=36

\displaystyle r=6

Then the diameter is 12.

Example Question #5 : Circles

The circumference of a circle is \displaystyle 14\pi. Give the diameter of the circle.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 7

\displaystyle 28

\displaystyle 14\pi

\displaystyle 4\pi

\displaystyle 14

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 14

Explanation:

The circumference can be calculated as \displaystyle C=2\pi r=\pi d, where \displaystyle r is the radius of the circle and \displaystyle d is the diameter of the circle.

\displaystyle C=2\pi r=\pi d

\displaystyle d = \frac{C}{\pi }=\frac{14\pi }{\pi }=14

Example Question #6 : Circles

If the value of a radius is \displaystyle x^{2}-^{\sqrt{x+4}}+2, what is the value of the diameter if the value of \displaystyle x=3?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 22-^{2\sqrt{7}

\displaystyle 22-^{\sqrt{14}

\displaystyle 11-^{\sqrt{3}

\displaystyle 11-^{\sqrt{7}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 22-^{2\sqrt{7}

Explanation:

If the value of a radius is \displaystyle x^{2}-^{\sqrt{x+4}}+2, and the value of \displaystyle x=3, then the radius will be equal to:

\displaystyle 3^{2}-^{\sqrt{3+4}}+2

\displaystyle 9-^{\sqrt{7}}+2

\displaystyle 11-^{\sqrt{7}

Given that the diameter is twice that of the radius, the diameter will be equal to:

\displaystyle 2(11-^{\sqrt{7}})

This is equal to:

\displaystyle 22-^{2\sqrt{7}

Example Question #7 : Circles

A series of circles has the following radius values:

\displaystyle 6, 9, 5, 4, 3

If the diameter is then calculated for this set, what would be the median diameter?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 5

\displaystyle 12

\displaystyle 10

\displaystyle 11

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 10

Explanation:

The median is the middle number in a set when that set is ordered smalles to largest. 

When \displaystyle 6, 9, 5, 4, 3 is ordered smallest to largest, we get \displaystyle 3, 4, 5, 6, 9

Here, the median would be \displaystyle 5

Given that a diameter is twice the radius, the diamater would be \displaystyle 10 (twice the value of \displaystyle 5). 

Example Question #8 : Circles

The circumference of a circle is \displaystyle 14\pi. Give the diameter of the circle.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 8\pi

\displaystyle 6

\displaystyle 8

\displaystyle 7\pi

\displaystyle 14

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 14

Explanation:

The circumference can be calculated as \displaystyle Circumference =2\pi r=\pi d, where \displaystyle r is the radius of the circle and \displaystyle d is the diameter of the circle. 

\displaystyle Circumference =\pi d=14 \pi\Rightarrow d=\frac{14\pi}{\pi}=14

Example Question #9 : Circles

You have a circular lens with a circumference of \displaystyle 16.67 \pi in, find the diameter of the lens.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 8.33 in

\displaystyle 12.45 in

\displaystyle 16.67 in

\displaystyle 3.14 in

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 16.67 in

Explanation:

You have a circular lens with a circumference of \displaystyle 16.67 \pi in, find the diameter of the lens.

Begin with the circumference of a circle formula.

\displaystyle C=2 \pi r

Now, we know that 

\displaystyle 2r=d

Because our radius is half of our diameter.

So, we can change our original formula to be:

\displaystyle C= \pi d

Now, we can see that all we need to do is divide our circumference by pi to get our diameter.

\displaystyle \frac{C}{\pi}=d

Now plug in our known and solve:

\displaystyle \frac{16.67 \pi in}{\pi}=d=16.67 in

So our answer is 16.67inches

Example Question #10 : Circles

You are exploring the woods near your house, when you come across an impact crater. It is perfectly circular, and you estimate its area to be \displaystyle 169 \pi m^2.

What is the diameter of the crater?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 6.5m

\displaystyle 52m

\displaystyle 26m

\displaystyle 19.5m

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 26m

Explanation:

You are exploring the woods near your house, when you come across an impact crater. It is perfectly circular, and you estimate its area to be \displaystyle 169 \pi m^2.

What is the diameter of the crater?

To solve this, we need to recall the formula for the area of a circle.

\displaystyle A=\pi r^2

Now, we know A, so we just need to plug in and solve for r!

\displaystyle 169 \pi m^2=\pi r ^2

Begin by dividing out the pi

\displaystyle 169m^2=r^2

Then, square root both sides.

\displaystyle r=\sqrt{169m^2}=13m

Now, recall that diameter is just twice the radius.

\displaystyle d=2r=13m (2)=26m

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