ISEE Upper Level Quantitative : Sectors

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

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Angle For A Percentage Of A Circle

Generalsector

What is the angle measure of \displaystyle x in the figure above if the sector comprises 37% of the circle?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 121.3˚

\displaystyle 66.6˚

\displaystyle 78.4˚

\displaystyle 133.2˚

\displaystyle 37˚

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 133.2˚

Explanation:

It is very easy to compute the angle of a sector if we know what it is as a percentage of the total circle.  To do this, you merely need to multiply \displaystyle 0.37 by \displaystyle 360˚.  This yields \displaystyle 133.2˚. 

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Angle For A Percentage Of A Circle

Generalsector

What is the angle measure of \displaystyle x in the figure above if the sector comprises \displaystyle 87%% of the circle?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 156.6˚

\displaystyle 134.9˚

\displaystyle 313.2˚

\displaystyle 298.3˚

\displaystyle 101.4˚

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 313.2˚

Explanation:

It is very easy to compute the angle of a sector if we know what it is as a percentage of the total circle.  To do this, you merely need to multiply \displaystyle 0.87 by \displaystyle 360˚.  This yields \displaystyle 313.2˚. 

Example Question #1 : How To Find The Angle For A Percentage Of A Circle

What is the angle measure of \displaystyle x in the figure if the sector comprises \displaystyle 37\% of the circle?

Generalsector

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 66.6˚

\displaystyle 121.3˚

\displaystyle 78.4˚

\displaystyle 37˚

\displaystyle 133.2˚

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 133.2˚

Explanation:

It is very easy to compute the angle of a sector if we know what it is as a percentage of the total circle.  To do this, you merely need to multiply \displaystyle 0.37 by \displaystyle 360˚.  This yields \displaystyle 133.2˚

Example Question #171 : Isee Upper Level (Grades 9 12) Quantitative Reasoning

Circle A has twice the radius of Circle B. Which is the greater quantity?

(a) The area of a \displaystyle 90^{\circ } sector of Circle A

(b) The area of Circle B

Possible Answers:

(a) is greater.

(b) is greater.

(a) and (b) are equal.

It is impossible to tell from the information given.

Correct answer:

(a) and (b) are equal.

Explanation:

Let \displaystyle r be the radius of Circle B. The radius of Circle A is therefore \displaystyle 2r.

\displaystyle 90^{\circ } sector of a circle comprises \displaystyle \frac{90}{360} = \frac{1}{4} of the circle. The \displaystyle 90^{\circ } sector of circle A has area \displaystyle \frac{1}{4} \pi (2r)^{2} = \frac{1}{4} \cdot 4 \pi r^{2} = \pi r^{2}, the area of Circle B. The two quantities are equal.

Example Question #2 : How To Find The Area Of A Sector

Generalsector-12

What is the area, rounded to the nearest hundredth, of the sector shaded in circle O in the diagram above?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 475.29

\displaystyle 106.94

\displaystyle 31.31

\displaystyle 17.39

\displaystyle 151.35

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 106.94

Explanation:

To find the area of a sector, you need to find a percentage of the total area of the circle.  You do this by dividing the sector angle by the total number of degrees in a full circle (i.e. \displaystyle 360˚).  Thus, for our circle, which has a sector with an angle of \displaystyle 81˚, we have a percentage of:

\displaystyle \frac{81}{360}

Now, we will multiply this by the total area of the circle.  Recall that we find such an area according to the equation:

\displaystyle A = \pi * r^2

For our problem, \displaystyle r=12.3

Therefore, our equation is:

 \displaystyle \frac{81}{360} * \pi * 12.3^2 = \frac{12254.49\pi}{360}

Using your calculator, you can determine that this is approximately \displaystyle 106.94.

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

Generalsector-12

What is the area, rounded to the nearest hundredth, of the sector shaded in circle O in the diagram above?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 19.42

\displaystyle 88.55

\displaystyle 261.30

\displaystyle 65.13

\displaystyle 34.13

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 88.55

Explanation:

To find the area of a sector, you need to find a percentage of the total area of the circle.  You do this by dividing the sector angle by the total number of degrees in a full circle (i.e. \displaystyle 360˚).  Thus, for our circle, which has a sector with an angle of \displaystyle 122˚, we have a percentage of:

\displaystyle \frac{122}{360}

Now, we will multiply this by the total area of the circle.  Recall that we find such an area according to the equation:

\displaystyle A = \pi * r^2

For our problem, \displaystyle r=9.12

Therefore, our equation is:

 \displaystyle \frac{122}{360} * \pi * 9.12^2 = \frac{10147.2768\pi}{360}

Using your calculator, you can determine that this is approximately \displaystyle 88.55.

Example Question #41 : Circles

Icecreamcone 2

Refer to the above figure, Which is the greater quantity?

(a) The area of \displaystyle \bigtriangleup ABC

(b) The area of the orange semicircle 

Possible Answers:

It is impossible to determine which is greater from the information given

(a) and (b) are equal

(b) is the greater quantity

(a) is the greater quantity

Correct answer:

(a) is the greater quantity

Explanation:

\displaystyle \bigtriangleup ABC has two angles of degree measure 45; the third angle must measure 90 degrees, making \displaystyle \bigtriangleup ABC a right triangle.

For the sake of simplicity, let \displaystyle BC = 1; the reasoning is independent of the actual length. The legs of a 45-45-90 triangle are congruent, so \displaystyle AB = 1. The area of a right triangle is half the product of its legs, so 

\displaystyle A = \frac{1}{2} \cdot 1 \cdot 1 = \frac{1}{2} = 0.5

Also, if \displaystyle BC = 1, then the orange semicircle has diameter 1 and radius \displaystyle \frac{1}{2}. Its area can be found by substituting \displaystyle r = \frac{1}{2} in the formula:

\displaystyle A = \frac{1}{2} \cdot \pi r^{2}

\displaystyle = \frac{1}{2} \cdot \pi \left ( \frac{1}{2} \right ) ^{2}

\displaystyle = \frac{1}{2} \cdot \pi \cdot \left ( \frac{1}{4 } \right )

\displaystyle = \frac{1}{8} \cdot \pi

\displaystyle \approx 0. 125 \cdot 3.14

\displaystyle \approx 0. 3925

\displaystyle \bigtriangleup ABC has a greater area than the orange semicircle.

Example Question #2 : How To Find The Area Of A Sector

Refer to the above figure, Which is the greater quantity?

(a) The area of the orange semicircle 

(b) The area of \displaystyle \bigtriangleup ABC

Possible Answers:

(b) is the greater quantity

It is impossible to determine which is greater from the information given

(a) and (b) are equal

(a) is the greater quantity

Correct answer:

(b) is the greater quantity

Explanation:

\displaystyle \bigtriangleup ABC has two angles of degree measure 60; its third angle must also have measure 60, making \displaystyle \bigtriangleup ABC an equilateral triangle 

For the sake of simplicity, let \displaystyle BC = 1; the reasoning is independent of the actual length. The area of equilateral \displaystyle \bigtriangleup ABC can be found by substituting \displaystyle s = 1 in the formula

\displaystyle A = \frac{s^{2}\sqrt{3}}{4}

\displaystyle = \frac{1^{2}\sqrt{3}}{4}

\displaystyle = \frac{1 \cdot \sqrt{3}}{4}

\displaystyle \approx \frac{1.7}{4}

\displaystyle \approx 0.425

Also, if \displaystyle BC = 1, then the orange semicircle has diameter 1 and radius \displaystyle \frac{1}{2}. Its area can be found by substituting \displaystyle r = \frac{1}{2} in the formula:

\displaystyle A = \frac{1}{2} \cdot \pi r^{2}

\displaystyle = \frac{1}{2} \cdot \pi \left ( \frac{1}{2} \right ) ^{2}

\displaystyle = \frac{1}{2} \cdot \pi \cdot \left ( \frac{1}{4 } \right )

\displaystyle = \frac{1}{8} \cdot \pi

\displaystyle \approx 0. 125 \cdot 3.14

\displaystyle \approx 0. 3925

 

\displaystyle \bigtriangleup ABC has a greater area than the orange semicircle.

Example Question #1 : Sectors

Circle 1

The above circle, which is divided into sectors of equal size, has diameter 20. Give the area of the shaded region.

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle \frac{125 \pi }{16 }

\displaystyle 125 \pi

\displaystyle \frac{125 \pi }{4 }

\displaystyle \frac{125 \pi }{8}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle \frac{125 \pi }{4 }

Explanation:

The radius of a circle is half its diameter; the radius of the circle in the diagram is half of 20, or 10.

To find the area of the circle, set \displaystyle r = 10 in the area formula:

\displaystyle A = \pi r ^{2} = \pi \cdot 10 ^{2} = 100 \pi

The circle is divided into sixteen sectors of equal size, five of which are shaded; the shaded portion is

\displaystyle \frac{5}{16} \cdot 100 \pi = \frac{500}{16} \pi = \frac{125 \pi }{4 }.

Example Question #41 : Circles

The clock at the town square has a minute hand eight feet long. How far has its tip traveled since noon if it is now 12:58 PM?

Possible Answers:

\displaystyle 47.2 \; \textrm{ft}

\displaystyle 50.2 \; \textrm{ft}

\displaystyle 48.6 \; \textrm{ft}

\displaystyle 49.4 \; \textrm{ft}

\displaystyle 48.2 \; \textrm{ft}

Correct answer:

\displaystyle 48.6 \; \textrm{ft}

Explanation:

This question is asking for the length of an arc corresponding to \displaystyle \frac{58}{60} of a circle with radius eight feet. The question can be answered by evaluating for \displaystyle r=8:

\displaystyle \frac{58}{60} \cdot 2 \pi r=\frac{58}{60} \cdot 2 \pi \cdot 8 \approx 48.6

 

 

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