9•1 Circles and

Circumference
Segments in Circles
A circle consists of all points in a plane that are a given
distance, called the radius, from a given point called the
center.
A segment or a line can intersect a circle A
in several ways.
B
E
• A segment with endpoints that are at F
the center and on the circle is a radius.
D
Note that radius is used to refer to both
C
a segment and its length. The plural of ̶̶ ̶̶
chord: AE​
­​ ,  BD​
­​  
radius is radii. ̶̶ ̶̶ ̶̶
radius: FB​
­​ ,  ­​FC​,  FD​
Geo-SG10-01-01-860187-B ­​  
• A segment with endpoints on the circle ̶̶
diameter: ​BD​ 
is a chord.

• A chord that passes through the circle’s center and is made
up of collinear radii is a diameter. Like radius, diameter is
used to refer to both a segment and its length.

For a circle that has radius r and diameter d, the following are
true.

r=_ r = ​ _  ​ d
d 1
​    ​   d = 2r
2 2

EXAMPLE Parts of a Circle

a. Name the circle.
The name of the circle is ⊙O. O
A B
b. Name radii of the circle.
̶̶ ̶̶ ̶̶ ̶̶
​ AO​, ­​ BO​, CO​
­​  , and DO​
­​   are radii.
c. Name chords of the circle. C D
̶̶ ̶̶
​ AB​ and ­​ CD​ are chords.
Geo-SG10-01-02-860187-B

Circles and Circumference 261

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 Circumference
9•1
The circumference of a circle is the distance around
the circle.
CIRCLES AND CIRCUMFERENCE

A circle with diameter d units or radius r units

Circumference has circumference C units where C = πd or
C = 2πr.

EXAMPLE Find Circumference

Find the circumference of the circle to the nearest
hundredth.
C = 2πr Circumference formula 13 cm

= 2π(13) r = 13
= 26π Simplify.
≈ 81.68 Use a calculator.
The circumference is 26π or about 81.68 centimeters.
Geo-SG10-01-04-860187-B

EXAMPLE Find the Radius and Diameter

Find the diameter and radius of a circle with a
circumference of 15.62 meters. Round to the
nearest hundredth.

C = 2πr Circumference formula

15.62 = 2πr C = 15.62 C

__
​ 
15.62
 ​ = r
  Divide each side by 2π.
2π
2.49 = r Simplify and round.

Use r to find the diameter.

C009_HT001_030A_136014-A
d = 2r The diameter is twice the radius.
d = 2(2.49) r = 2.49

d = 4.97 Multiply.

For a circle with a circumference of 15.62 meters, the radius

is about 2.49 meters and the diameter is about 4.97 meters.

262 HotTopic 9
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 9•1 Exercises
For Exercises 1–7, refer to the figure at A X
the right.
1. Name the circle.  ⊙R R
̶̶ ̶̶ ̶̶ ̶̶
2. Name radii of the circle.  ​RA​ , RB​
­​  , ­​RY​,  and RX​
­​  
Y B
̶̶ ̶̶ ̶̶ ̶̶
3. Name chords of the circle.  ​BY​,  AX​
­​  , AB​
­​  , and XY​
­​  
̶̶ ̶̶
4. Name diameters of the circle.  ­​AB​ and Geo-SG10-01-03-860187-B
XY​
­​  

5. If AB = 18 millimeters, find AR.  9 mm

6. If RY = 10 inches, find AR and AB.  AR = 10 in.; AB = 20 in.

̶̶ ̶̶
? Explain.  Yes; all diameters of the same
7. Is ­​ AB​ ≅ ­​ XY​    
circle are congruent.

Find the diameter and radius of a circle with the given

circumference. Round to the nearest hundredth.
8. C = 40 in.  12.73 in.; 6.37 in. 9. C = 256 ft  81.49 ft; 40.74 ft

10. Use the definitions of π = ​ _ ​  and a diameter to derive the

C
d
formulas for circumference.  See Answer Appendix.

Find the exact circumference of each circle.

11. 9​  √2
 ​π
 
  in.
 12. 11π yd

11 yd

9 in.

13. 10π cm 14. ​  √58 ​

C10-004A-890519-A   π mm

C10-002A-890519-A
8 cm 3 mm

7 mm

6 cm

5. Explain why all circles are similar.  See Answer Appendix.

1
C10-003A-890519-B
C10-001A-890519-A
Circles and Circumference 263
THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED, REPRODUCED, OR FURTHER DISTRIBUTED.