CIRCLES

Determining the Arc Length

Arc of a Circle
If we cut across a delicious, fresh pizza, we have two halves, and each half is an arc measuring
180°. If we make three additional cuts in one side only (so we cut the half first into two quarters
and then each quarter into two eighths), we have one side of the pizza with one big, 180° arc

and the other side of the pizza with four, 45° arcs like this:

The half of the pizza that is one giant slice is a major arc since it measures 180° (or more). The
other side of the pizza has four minor arcs since they each measure less than 180°.

What is Arc Length?

Arc length is better defined as the distance along the part of the circumference of any circle or
any curve (arc). Any distance along the curved line that makes up the arc is known as the arc
length. A part of a curve or a part of a circumference of a circle is called Arc. All of them have
a curve in their shape. The length of an arc is longer than any straight line distance between its
endpoints (a chord).

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For example, in the circle shown above, OP is the arc of the circle with center Q. The arc length
of this arc OP is given as L.
Arc Length vs Arc Measure

✓ The arc's length is a distance along the circumference, measured in the same units as
the radius, diameter or entire circumference of the circle; these units will be linear
measures, like inches, cm, m, yards, and so on.
✓ The arc's angle measurement, taken at the center of the circle the arc is part of, is
measured in degrees (or radians).
Arc Length Formula
The length of an arc can be calculated using different formulas, based on the unit of the
central angle of the arc. The measurements of the central angle can be given in degrees or
radians, and accordingly, we calculate the arc length of a circle. For a circle, the arc length
formula is θ times the radius of a circle.

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 Formula:

θ
• Arc length = circumference x (360)
or
θ
• Arc length = 2 πr (360)
or
θ
• Arc length = πd (360)
•
Note:
22
• π = phi = 3,14 = 7
• d = diameter
• θ = Central angle of Arc
• r = Radius of the circle
Example 1:
Steps:

1. 2. 3.

4. 5.

Example 2:
̂.
Find the length of 𝑪𝑫 Solution:o
θ
lArc length = circumference x (360)
θ
= 2 πr (360)
150°
= 2 x 3,14 x 4cm (360°)
5
= 25,12 x 12
125,6
= 12
= 10,47 cm

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Exercise!
̂.
1. Find the length of 𝐴𝐵

AB= circumference x (0/360)

AB= 2πr x (0/360)
AB= 2 x 3,14 x 12 x 45/360
AB= 75,36 x 1/8
AB=9,42 cm

2. Given a circle has 40 cm as the diameter, and the center point is O. BA is the arc of
̂ ? (Phi = 3,14)
the circle and ∠BOA is 72°. What is the length of 𝑃𝑄

BA= circumference x (0/360)

BA= πd x (0/360)
BA= 3,14 x 40 x 72/360
BA= 125,6 x 1/5
BA= 25,12 cm

3. Find the arc length of the shaded sector in a circle below.

AB= circumference x (0/360)

AB= 2πr x (0/360)
AB= 2 x 3,14 x 2 x 60/360
AB= 12,56 1/6
AB=2,09 cm

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4. The radius of a circle (BO; O is the center point) is 21 cm. The ∠AOB as the major arc is 240°.
How much is the length ∠AOB as the minor arc?

AOB Minor angle= 360-240

=120
AOB= πd x (0/360)
AOB= 22/7 x 42 x 120/360
AOB= 132 x 1/3
AOB= 44 cm

5. A circle is divided into 8 parts. Each part has the same size. If the radii of the circle is
14 cm, how much is the length of each arc?

Angle every arc part=360/8=45

Length arc every part= circumference x (0/360)
= πd x (0/360)
= 22/7 x 28 x 45/360
=88 x 1/8
= 11

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6. Find the arc length of the unshaded sector.

AMB Minor angle= 360-240

=120
AMB= 2πr x (0/360)
AMB= 2 x 22/7 x 7 x 120/360
AMB= 44 x 1/3
AMB= 14,67 cm

7. A circle has O as the center point. ∠AOB is 𝟑𝟔°. The length of OA is 7cm. Determine:
a. The length of minor arc.

AOB Minor angle=36

AOB= 2πr x (0/360)
AOB= 2 x 22/7 x 7 x 36/360
AOB= 44 x 1/10
AOB= 4,4 cm

b. The length of major arc.

AOB Major angle=