CIRCLES & VOLUME TUTORIA by TALAL 39

Circles & Volume

Circles & Angles

center of the circle). The radius, marked 𝑟 in the figure below, is the distance from any point on the circle to the
 A circle is a shape formed by all of the points that are the same distance away from one central point (the

center point.

𝑟 𝑟

of the circle and whose length, 𝑑, is equal to twice the radius: 𝑑 = 2𝑟.
 A diameter is a line from one point on the arc to its opposite point on the arc that goes directly through the center

The center point of the circle is the midpoint between the endpoints of any diameter. This center point’s 𝑥- and
𝑦-coordinates can be found by averaging the 𝑥- and 𝑦-coordinates, respectively, of the endpoints of any diameter.


𝑦 𝑥=3 (−1) + 7 4 + (−2)

𝑥𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 𝑦𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 =
2 2
(−1, 4) 6 2
𝑥𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 𝑦𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 =
(3, 1)
2 2
𝑦=1
𝑥 𝑥𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 3 𝑦𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 1
(7, −2) Center = (𝑥𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 , 𝑦𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 )
Center = (3, 1)

 If a triangle is formed with one vertex at the center of the circle and the other two vertices at points on the circle,
then two sides of the triangle are equal to the radius, and thus the triangle is isosceles.

𝑟 𝑟

When we graph a line segment of length 𝑟 having one end at the origin, extending to a point (𝑥, 𝑦), and lying at an
angle 𝜃 measured relative to the positive 𝑥-axis, we can form a triangle as shown below. The horizontal leg has

length 𝑥, and the vertical leg has length 𝑦. The values of 𝑥 and 𝑦 can be positive or negative, while 𝑟 is always
positive.
𝑦 𝑦
(𝑥, 𝑦) (𝑥, 𝑦)

𝑟 𝑟 𝑦
𝜃 𝜃
𝑥 𝑥
𝑂 𝑂 𝑥

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example below, the short leg lies along the negative 𝑥-axis, so its length will be negative. It is essential to have
 When determining absolute or relative side lengths for such a triangle, be sure to assign the correct sign. In the

the proper signs for the side lengths when constructing trigonometric ratios for angles represented on the
coordinate plane.
𝑦 𝑦

(𝑥, 𝑦) (𝑥, 𝑦)

𝑦 𝑟 𝑟√3 𝑟
𝑦=
30∘
2
∘∘ ∘∘
120∘∘∘∘
120
120 120∘∘∘∘
120
120
𝑥 60∘
𝑥
𝑥 𝑂 𝑂
𝑟
𝑥=−
2

The angle ratios of a right triangle drawn on the coordinate plane are still calculated the same way

𝑥 𝑦
(remember SOH-CAH-TOA).

cos 𝜃 = = tan 𝜃 = =
𝑟 𝑥
adjacent opposite
𝑦
sin 𝜃 = =
hypotenuse adjacent
𝑟
opposite
hypotenuse

 Pairs of points on the circle that have the same 𝑦-coordinate will be equidistant from the vertical axis of

𝑥-coordinates and the axis of symmetry’s (and thus the center point’s) 𝑥-coordinate, as seen below, left. With
symmetry, and the distance between such points and the axis of symmetry is simply the difference in the points’

𝑥-coordinate, as seen on the right below.

respect to the horizontal axis of symmetry, the same principle applies for pairs of points that have the same

𝑦 𝑦
𝑥=ℎ
(0, 𝑘 + 𝑎)
𝑟𝑟𝑟
𝑎𝑎𝑎
(ℎ,
(ℎ,
(ℎ,𝑘)
𝑘)
𝑘)
𝑟𝑟𝑟 𝑟𝑟𝑟 (ℎ,
(ℎ,
(ℎ,𝑘)
𝑘)
𝑘) 𝑦=𝑘
ℎℎℎ
𝑘𝑘𝑘 𝑎𝑎
𝑥 𝑎𝑎 𝑟𝑟𝑟 𝑥
(ℎ − 𝑏, 0) 𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏𝑏 (ℎ + 𝑏, 0)
(0, 𝑘 − 𝑎)

either the same 𝑥- or 𝑦-value, average the 𝒙- or 𝒚-coordinates of the two points on the circle to find the
 If we’re not given the coordinates of the center point, but we have the coordinates of two points on the circle with

corresponding coordinate of the center point.

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Circumference, Arc Length, and Radians

 The circumference 𝐶 of a circle with a radius 𝑟 and diameter 𝑑 = 2𝑟 is found with the following equation:
𝐶 = 2𝜋𝑟 or 𝐶 = 𝜋𝑑

 For an angle measuring 1 radian, the length of the intercepted arc is equal to the radius, by definition.

𝑟 𝑟

𝑟
ad
1r

The number of radians of angle measure is defined as the number of radiuses in intercepted arc length,
so if we know how many radians a central angle measures, we know how many radiuses the intercepted arc
measures, and if we know how many radiuses long an arc measures, we know the measure in radians of the
central angle that intercepts that arc.
 There are 360∘ in a circle, and there are 2𝜋 radians in a circle, so we can use the following proportion when we
want to convert between the degrees and radians:
360∘ 180∘
= =
2𝜋 rad 𝜋 rad
degrees degrees
or, equivalently
radians radians

180 𝜋
degrees = radians radians = degrees
( 𝜋 ) ( 180 )
This gives: and

Radians of angle produce radiuses of arc length. Therefore, the formula for the length 𝐿 of an arc of a circle
with radius 𝑟 intercepted by a central angle 𝜃 (measured in radians) is given by


𝐿 = 𝑟𝜃

If you are given a central angle measure in radians, do not convert this angle to degrees to calculate the
intercepted arc length.
 If you are given the measurement of the central angle in degrees, you can calculate the intercepted arc length by
converting the angle from degrees to radians or you can find the arc’s fraction of the whole circumference by

𝑥
using a proportion.
Since there are 360∘ in a circle, the fraction of the circle that is marked by a central angle measuring 𝑥∘ is
360
The ratio of the arc length 𝐿 to the whole circumference 𝐶 is equal to the ratio of the central angle to 360 .
.
∘

𝐿 𝑥 𝑥
= solving for 𝐿 𝐿= 𝐶
𝐶 360 360

substitute 2𝜋𝑟 for 𝐶 to end up with the formula

If you are not given the circumference, but you do know the radius, you can use the circumference formula and

𝑥
𝐿= (2𝜋𝑟)
360

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The measure of an arc between points 𝐴 and 𝐵 on a circle can be denoted as 𝐴𝐵. If there is a third point 𝐶
between the points 𝐴 and 𝐵, the arc may be represented as 𝐴𝐶𝐵. In the figure below, you may choose to refer

to minor (smaller) arc 𝐴𝐶𝐵 in order to distinguish it from major (larger) arc 𝐴𝐷𝐵, which is the complementary
arc.

𝐵
𝐴

If there are only two points, and neither major nor minor is specified, assume the reference is to the minor arc.
 If you are told that lines are tangent to a circle, then you should note immediately that those lines intersect the
circle at exactly one point, and a radius drawn from the center of the circle to the point of tangency will
intersect the tangent line at a right angle.
For example, in the figure below, lines 𝑋𝑌 and 𝑍𝑌 are tangent to the circle.

𝑌
𝑂

below, we can say that the arc 𝐴𝐷𝐶 measures 150∘ because the central angle forming that intercepted arc
 An arc can be specified by the corresponding central angle (in degrees or radians). For example, in the figure

measures 150∘ .

𝐶
150∘ 𝐴
𝑂

 An inscribed angle is an angle with its vertex on the circumference of the circle. The measure of an inscribed
angle is half of the measure of the central angle of its intercepted arc.

30∘

60∘

𝐴 𝐶

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CIRCLES & VOLUME TUTORIA by TALAL 43

Area of a Circle

 The formula for the area 𝐴 of a circle of radius 𝑟 is the following:

𝐴 = 𝜋𝑟2

The area of a sector (pie-slice-shaped portion) of a circle marked by a central angle 𝜃 is proportional to the ratio
of the central angle to the angle measure of a full circle (360∘ or 2𝜋 radians).

𝐴sector 𝜃degrees 𝐴sector 𝜃
= = radians
𝐴circle 360∘ 𝐴circle 2𝜋
or

Therefore, the area of a sector marked by a central angle measuring 𝑥∘ or 𝑦 radians is found with the following
equations:

𝐴sector 𝑥∘ 𝑦 rad 2
= 𝑥∘
𝐴circle 360∘ 𝐴𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 = (𝜋𝑟2 ) 𝐴𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 = (𝜋𝑟 )
360 2𝜋
or
𝐴sector 𝑦
=
or

𝐴circle 2𝜋
d
ra
y

𝑟
or

𝐶
𝑥∘

The Circle Equation

 The equation for all points (𝑥, 𝑦) on a circle centered at the origin with radius 𝑟 is derived from the Pythagorean
Theorem:
𝑥2 + 𝑦 2 = 𝑟 2

For any circle with radius 𝑟, centered at a point (𝒉, 𝒌), the equation for all points (𝑥, 𝑦) on the circle is slightly
modified to reflect the shifted center point:
(𝑥 − ℎ)2 + (𝑦 − 𝑘)2 = 𝑟2

(4,6)
(4,
(4, 6)
6)

(𝑥 − 4)2 + (𝑦 − 3)2 = (3)2

(4,
(4,
(4,3)
3)
3) 𝑟=3
(1, 3) (7,
(7,
(7,3)
3)
3)

𝑥
(4,
(4,
(4,0)
0)
0)

All points strictly inside of a circle conform to the inequality (𝑥 − ℎ)2 + (𝑦 − 𝑘)2 < 𝑟2 . All points strictly outside of a
circle conform to the inequality (𝑥 − ℎ)2 + (𝑦 − 𝑘)2 > 𝑟2 .

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 In order to write a circle equation in the form 𝑎𝑥2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑎𝑦2 + 𝑐𝑦 + 𝑑 = 𝑒 in Standard Form, (𝑥 − ℎ)2 + (𝑦 − 𝑘)2 = 𝑟2 ,
follow these steps:
1. Isolate all constant terms on the opposite side of the equation from the 𝑥- and 𝑦-terms.
2. Divide both sides of the equation by 𝑎, the coefficient of the 𝑥2 and 𝑦2 terms, making sure to distribute the
division across all terms. The 𝑥2 and 𝑦2 coefficients will always match for circle equations, and most often

3. Complete the square for both 𝑥- and 𝑦-variable polynomial expressions.

on the test will be 1, so this step will often be unnecessary.

𝑝
2
If the 𝑥-coefficient is 𝑝 and the 𝑦-coefficient is 𝑞, you should rewrite the 𝑥 terms as 𝑥+ , rewrite the 𝑦
( 2)
𝑞 𝑝 𝑞
2 2 2
𝑦+
( 2 ) ( 2 ) ( 2)
terms as , and add and to the other side of the equation.

4. The equation is now in Standard Form for circles, and you can therefore identify the center point and radius.
2𝑥2 + 12𝑥 + 2𝑦2 + 16𝑦 − 98 = 52
2𝑥2 + 12𝑥 + 2𝑦2 + 16𝑦 = 150
𝑥 + 6𝑥 + 𝑦 + 8𝑦 = 75 Divide by the common 𝑥2 and 𝑦2 coefficient
Isolate constants on the right side of the equation
2 2

(𝑥 + 3)2 + 𝑦2 + 8𝑦 = 75 + 9 Complete the square for the 𝑥-terms

(𝑥 + 3) + (𝑦 + 4) = 75 + 9 + 16
2 2
Complete the square for the 𝑦-terms
(𝑥 + 3) + (𝑦 + 4) = 100
2 2

(𝑥 + 3)2 + (𝑦 + 4)2 = 102

Volume

 The volume of a solid or three-dimensional figure is the amount of space that the object occupies and is
usually measured in units3 (though the volume of fluids like water and oil might be measured in units like ounces
or liters).

length , width 𝑤, and height ℎ.

 A right rectangular prism is a box (all faces meet at right angles) with 6 rectangular faces and dimensions of

A cube is a special case of rectangular prism where all three dimensions are equal (there is one common side
length ) and therefore, every face is a square.

Rectangular Prism Cube

For right rectangular prisms, the volume formula is given to you in the info box at the beginning of test sections.
𝑉 = 𝑤ℎ

The volume of a cube with side length 𝑠 is simplified because all three dimensions are equal:
𝑉 =𝑠⋅𝑠⋅𝑠 or 𝑉 = 𝑠3

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