A chord with a length of 35 runs from pi/8 to pi/2 radians on a circle. What is the area of the circle?

1 Answer
Mar 5, 2016

Draw two radii to the edges of the chord to complete a triangle Then find the ratio between the angles, and apply the sine rule. Then calculate the radius and the area. (992.2 " units"^2)

Explanation:

  1. Draw two radii to the edges of the chord complete a triangle. You'll have an isosceles triangle with sides r, r, and 35, and angles x, x, and theta.

  2. The edges of the chord are pi/8 and pi/2, so the angle between the two radii (theta) = pi/2 - pi/8 = {3pi}/8 "rad".

  3. The sum of all angles in a triangle = 180^"o" = pi " rad"
    :. x + x+ theta = pi
    2x + {3pi}/8 = pi
    x = {5pi}/16

  4. In any trangle side_1:side_2:side_3 = sinangle_1: sinangle_2: sinangle_3

:. r:r:35= sinx:sinx:sintheta

r:r:35= sin({5pi}/16):sin({5pi}/16):sin({3pi}/8) ~~ 0.83:0.83:0.92

r rarr 0.83
35 rarr 0.92
r =(35*0.83)/0.92
r= 31.5 " units"

  1. The area= pi*r^2=pi*(31.5 )^2
    =992.2 " units"^2