English Spanish

6.1 Circles and Circumference

How can you find the circumference

S
STATE of a circle?
STANDARDS
MA.6.G.4.1 Archimedes was a Greek mathematician, physicist,
MA.6.G.4.2
engineer, and astronomer.
Archimedes discovered that in any circle the
ratio of circumference to diameter is always
the same. Archimedes called this ratio pi, or π
(a letter from the Greek alphabet).

Circumference cumference
π = —— cir
Diameter

er
In Activities 1 and 2, et radius
a m
you will use the same di
strategy Archimedes
used to approximate π.

1 ACTIVITY: Approximating Pi
Work with a partner. Copy the table. Record your results in the table.
● Measure the perimeter of the large square Large Square
Small Square
in millimeters.
● Measure the diameter of the circle in
millimeters.
● Measure the perimeter of the small square
in millimeters.
● Calculate the ratios of the two perimeters to
the diameter.
● The average of these two ratios is an approximation of 𝛑.

Sides of Large Diameter Small Large Perimeter Small Perimeter Average

—— ——
Polygon Perimeter of Circle Perimeter Diameter Diameter of Ratios
4

10

238 Chapter 6 Circles and Area

English Spanish

A page from “Sir

Cumference and the
First Round Table” by
Cindy Neuschwander.

2 ACTIVITY: Approximating Pi
Continue your approximation of pi. Complete the table using a hexagon
(6 sides), an octagon (8 sides), and a decagon (10 sides).
Large Hexagon Large Octagon Large Decagon
Small Hexagon Small Octagon Small Decagon
a. b. c.

d. From the table, what can you conclude about the value of π ?
Explain your reasoning.
e. Archimedes calculated the value of π using polygons having 96 sides.
Do you think his calculations were more or less accurate than yours?

3. IN YOUR OWN WORDS Now that you know an approximation for

pi, explain how you can use it to find the circumference of a circle.
Write a formula for the circumference C of a circle whose diameter
is d. Draw a circle and use your formula to find the circumference.

Use what you learned about circles and circumference to complete

Exercises 10–12 on page 243.

Section 6.1 Circles and Circumference 239

 English Spanish

6.1 Lesson
Lesson Tutorials

A circle is the set of all points in a plane that are the same distance from
a point called the center.
circle center
Key Vocabulary
circle, p. 240
center, p. 240
radius, p. 240 The radius is the distance
diameter, p. 240 from the center to any
circumference, p. 241 point on the circle. The diameter is the
pi, p. 241 distance across the circle
semicircle, p. 242 through the center.

Radius and Diameter

Words The diameter d of a circle is twice the radius r. The radius r of
a circle is one-half the diameter d.
d
Algebra Diameter: d = 2r Radius: r = —
2

EXAMPLE 1 Finding a Radius and a Diameter

a. The diameter of a circle is b. The radius of a circle is
20 feet. Find the radius. 7 meters. Find the diameter.

20 ft

7m

d
r=— Radius of a circle d = 2r Diameter of a circle
2
20
=— Substitute 20 for d. = 2(7) Substitute 7 for r.
2

= 10 Divide. = 14 Multiply.

The radius is 10 feet. The diameter is 14 meters.

1. The diameter of a circle is 16 centimeters. Find the radius.

Exercises 4–9 2. The radius of a circle is 9 yards. Find the diameter.

240 Chapter 6 Circles and Area

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The distance around a circle is called the circumference. The ratio

circumference
—— is the same for every circle and is represented by the Greek
diameter
22
letter π, called pi. The value of π can be approximated as 3.14 or —.
Study Tip 7

When the radius or

diameter is a multiple
of 7, it is easier to use
22
— as the estimate of π. Circumference of a Circle C
7
Words The circumference C of a circle is
d
equal to π times the diameter d or
π times twice the radius r. r

Algebra C = πd or C = 2π r

EXAMPLE 2 Finding Circumferences of Circles

a. Find the circumference of the flying disc. Use 3.14 for 𝛑.

5 in. C = 2π r Write formula for circumference.

⋅
≈ 2 3.14 5 ⋅ Substitute 3.14 for π and 5 for r.

= 31.4 Multiply.

The circumference is about 31.4 inches.

22
b. Find the circumference of the watch face. Use — for 𝛑.
7

C = πd Write formula for circumference.

22
≈ — 28
7 ⋅ 22
Substitute — for π and 28 for d.
7
28 mm
= 88 Multiply.

The circumference is about 88 millimeters.

22
Find the circumference of the object. Use 3.14 or — for 𝛑.
7
Exercises 10–13
3. 4. 5.
2 cm
m
14 ft
9 in.

Section 6.1 Circles and Circumference 241

 English Spanish

EXAMPLE 3 Standardized Test Practice

The diameter of the new roll of caution tape decreases 3.25 inches
after a construction worker uses some of the tape. Which is the best
10 in.
estimate of the circumference of the roll after the decrease?
○
A 9 inches ○
B 16 inches ○
C 21 inches ○
D 30 inches

After the decrease, the diameter of the roll is 10 − 3.25 = 6.75 inches.

C = πd Write formula for circumference.

⋅
≈ 3.14 6.75 Substitute 3.14 for π and 6.75 for d.

≈3 7⋅ Round 3.14 down to 3. Round 6.75 up to 7.

= 21 Multiply.

The correct answer is ○

C .

6. WHAT IF? In Example 3, the diameter of the roll of tape decreases

5.75 inches. Estimate the circumference after the decrease.

EXAMPLE 4 Finding the Perimeter of a Semicircular Region

A semicircle is one-half of a circle. Find
the perimeter of the semicircular region.
The straight side is 6 meters long. The distance
around the curved part is half the circumference 6m
of a circle with a diameter of 6 meters.
πd
C=— Divide the circumference by 2.
2

≈—
3.14 6 ⋅ Substitute 3.14 for π and 6 for d.
2

= 9.42 Simplify.

So, the perimeter is about 6 + 9.42 = 15.42 meters.

Find the perimeter of the semicircular region.

7. 8. 7 cm 9.
Exercises 15 and 16

2 ft 15 in.

242 Chapter 6 Circles and Area

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6.1 Exercises
Help with Homework

1. VOCABULARY What is the relationship between the radius and the diameter
of a circle?
2. WHICH ONE DOESN’T BELONG? Which phrase does not belong with the other
three? Explain your reasoning.

the distance around a circle π times twice the radius

π times the diameter the distance from the center to any point on the circle

3. OPEN-ENDED Choose a real-life circular object. Explain why you might need to
know its circumference. Then find the circumference.

6)=3
9+(- 3)=
3+(- 9)=
4+(- =
1)
9+(-

Find the radius of the button.

1 4. 5. 6.

5 cm 28 mm 1
3 in.
2

Find the diameter of the object.

7. 8. 9.
6 cm 2 in. 0.8 ft

22
Find the circumference of the pizza. Use 3.14 or — for 𝛑.
7
2 10. 11. 12.
7 in.
10 in.

18 in.

Section 6.1 Circles and Circumference 243

 English Spanish

13. SINKHOLE A circular sinkhole has a radius of 12 meters. A week later, it

has a diameter of 48 meters. How much greater is the circumference of
the sinkhole compared to the previous week?
14. REASONING Consider the circles A, B, C, and D.
A B C D
2 ft 50 in.
8 ft

10 in.

a. Copy and complete the table.

Circle A B C D
b. Which circle has the greatest
circumference? Radius 10 inches 50 inches
c. Which circle has the least Diameter 8 feet 2 feet
circumference?

Find the perimeter of the window.

4 15. 16.

3 ft 20 cm

Find the circumferences of both circles.

17. 18. 19.
5 cm 9 ft 22 m

5 cm 2.5 ft

20. WIRE A wire is bent to form four semicircles. How long is the wire?

32 cm 32 cm 32 cm 32 cm

circumference
21. CRITICAL THINKING Because the ratio —— is the same for every
diameter
circumference
circle, is the ratio —— the same for every circle? Explain.
radius

244 Chapter 6 Circles and Area

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22. AROUND THE WORLD “Lines” of latitude on Earth Tropic of

are actually circles. The Tropic of Cancer is Cancer
the northernmost line of latitude at which the
Sun appears directly overhead at noon. The
Tropic of Cancer has a radius of 5854 kilometers.
To qualify for an around-the-world speed record,
a pilot must cover a distance no less than the
circumference of the Tropic of Cancer, cross all
meridians, and end on the same airfield where
he started.
Equator
a. What is the minimum distance that a pilot Meridian
must fly to qualify for an around-the-world
speed record?
b. RESEARCH Estimate the time it would take for a pilot
to qualify for the speed record.

23. BICYCLE Bicycles in the late 1800s looked very different than
they do today.
a. How many rotations does each tire make after traveling
60 in. 600 feet? Round your answers to the nearest whole number.
9 in.
b. Would you rather ride a bicycle made with two large wheels
or two small wheels? Explain.

24. The length of the minute hand is

150% of the length of the hour hand.
36 mm
a. What distance will the tip of the minute
hand move in 45 minutes? Explain how
you found your answer.
b. In 1 hour, how much farther does the tip of
the minute hand move than the tip of the
hour hand? Explain how you found your answer.

Find the perimeter of the figure. SKILLS REVIEW HANDBOOK

25. 26. 27. 16 in.
6m 5m
4 ft
12 in. 12 in.
9m

7 ft
25 in.

28. MULTIPLE CHOICE What is the median of the data set? SECTION 5.5

12, 25, 16, 9, 5, 22, 27, 20

○
A 7 ○
B 16 ○
C 17 ○
D 18

Section 6.1 Circles and Circumference 245