Knowledge (XXG)

Circular arc

Source 📝

1151: 31: 521: 414:
A practical way to determine the length of an arc in a circle is to plot two lines from the arc's endpoints to the center of the circle, measure the angle where the two lines meet the center, then solve for L by cross-multiplying the statement:
268: 442: 863: 330: 1109: 1367: 923: 1497: 1037: 1223: 409: 982: 785: 1430: 583: 437: 720: 176: 638: 612: 1136: 1255:
with the same endpoints as the arc. Its perpendicular bisector is another chord, which is a diameter of the circle. The length of the first chord is
187: 526:
This is so because the circumference of a circle and the degrees of a circle, of which there are always 360, are directly proportional.
808: 736:
The area of the sector formed by an arc and the center of a circle (bounded by the arc and the two radii drawn to its endpoints) is
1118:, we need to subtract the area of the triangle, determined by the circle's center and the two end points of the arc, from the area 279: 1161:
AP and PB equals the product of the line segments CP and PD. If the arc has a width AB and height CP, then the circle's diameter
1053: 1303: 878: 1441: 993: 987:
Using the conversion described above, we find that the area of the sector for a central angle measured in degrees is
1164: 370: 938: 742: 1378: 516:{\displaystyle {\begin{aligned}{\frac {60}{360}}&={\frac {L}{24}}\\360L&=1440\\L&=4.\end{aligned}}} 535: 1530: 646: 1154: 1525: 1520: 1282: 149: 431:
For example, if the measure of the angle is 60 degrees and the circumference is 24 inches, then
1586: 1047:
The area of the shape bounded by the arc and the straight line between its two end points is
1613: 1555: 1535: 1252: 1233: 1229: 1139: 97: 55: 1618: 1550: 731: 63: 35: 617: 591: 1150: 1121: 76: 47: 1607: 1545: 1502:
The arc, chord, and sagitta derive their names respectively from the Latin words for
1281:, and it is divided into two parts by the first chord. The length of one part is the 139: 92: 1540: 1503: 1158: 17: 1567: 95:
of a circle. A straight line that connects the two ends of the arc is known as a
58:. If the two points are not directly opposite each other, one of these arcs, the 263:{\displaystyle {\frac {L}{\mathrm {circumference} }}={\frac {\theta }{2\pi }}.} 126: 120: 107: 1594: 1578: 1259:, and it is divided by the bisector into two equal halves, each with length 1589: 1297:. Applying the intersecting chords theorem to these two chords produces 38:
is shaded in green. Its curved boundary of length L is a circular arc.
30: 1572: 91:
radians. The arc of a circle is defined as the part or segment of the
1115: 795: 102: 72: 51: 1289:, and the other part is the remainder of the diameter, with length 2 1515: 1236:
or secant tangent theorem) it is possible to calculate the radius
1149: 420: 84: 29: 858:{\displaystyle {\frac {A}{\pi r^{2}}}={\frac {\theta }{2\pi }}.} 1579:
Math Open Reference page on Radius of a circular arc or segment
325:{\displaystyle {\frac {L}{2\pi r}}={\frac {\theta }{2\pi }},} 67: 1104:{\displaystyle {\frac {1}{2}}r^{2}(\theta -\sin \theta ).} 105:
of an arc is exactly half of the circle, it is known as a
137:(measured in radians) with the circle center — i.e., the 1362:{\displaystyle H(2r-H)=\left({\frac {W}{2}}\right)^{2},} 918:{\displaystyle {\frac {A}{r^{2}}}={\frac {\theta }{2}}.} 66:
an angle at the center of the circle that is less than
1568:
Table of contents for Math Open Reference Circle pages
1492:{\displaystyle r={\frac {W^{2}}{8H}}+{\frac {H}{2}}.} 1444: 1381: 1306: 1167: 1124: 1056: 996: 941: 881: 811: 745: 649: 620: 594: 538: 440: 373: 282: 190: 152: 529:The upper half of a circle can be parameterized as 1491: 1424: 1361: 1217: 1130: 1103: 1032:{\displaystyle A={\frac {\alpha }{360}}\pi r^{2}.} 1031: 976: 917: 857: 779: 714: 632: 606: 577: 515: 403: 324: 262: 170: 693: 661: 339:being the same angle measured in degrees, since 1218:{\displaystyle CD={\frac {AP\cdot PB}{CP}}+CP} 404:{\displaystyle L={\frac {\alpha \pi r}{180}}.} 977:{\displaystyle A={\frac {1}{2}}r^{2}\theta .} 8: 780:{\displaystyle A={\frac {r^{2}\theta }{2}}.} 1573:Math Open Reference page on circular arcs 1476: 1457: 1451: 1443: 1425:{\displaystyle 2r-H={\frac {W^{2}}{4H}},} 1403: 1397: 1380: 1350: 1336: 1305: 1177: 1166: 1123: 1071: 1057: 1055: 1020: 1003: 995: 962: 948: 940: 902: 891: 882: 880: 837: 825: 812: 810: 759: 752: 744: 703: 698: 692: 691: 676: 660: 659: 648: 619: 593: 564: 551: 545: 537: 462: 445: 441: 439: 380: 372: 304: 283: 281: 242: 196: 191: 189: 151: 578:{\displaystyle y={\sqrt {r^{2}-x^{2}}}.} 1277:. The total length of the diameter is 2 7: 129:) of an arc of a circle with radius 715:{\displaystyle L=r{\Big }_{a}^{b}.} 27:Part of a circle between two points 273:Substituting in the circumference 233: 230: 227: 224: 221: 218: 215: 212: 209: 206: 203: 200: 197: 25: 121:Arc length § Arcs of circles 794:has the same proportion to the 1325: 1310: 1095: 1077: 1: 1240:of a circle given the height 928:By multiplying both sides by 125:The length (more precisely, 1230:intersecting chords theorem 932:, we get the final result: 732:Circular sector § Area 171:{\displaystyle L=\theta r.} 54:between a pair of distinct 1635: 1581:With interactive animation 1575:With interactive animation 729: 118: 79:); and the other arc, the 1504:bow, bowstring, and arrow 588:Then the arc length from 364:, the arc length equals 133:and subtending an angle 1114:To get the area of the 1531:Circular interpolation 1493: 1426: 1363: 1225: 1219: 1132: 1105: 1033: 978: 919: 859: 781: 716: 634: 608: 579: 517: 405: 326: 264: 172: 39: 1494: 1427: 1364: 1220: 1153: 1133: 1106: 1034: 979: 920: 860: 782: 717: 635: 609: 580: 518: 406: 327: 265: 173: 33: 1442: 1379: 1304: 1165: 1122: 1054: 994: 939: 879: 809: 743: 647: 618: 592: 536: 438: 371: 280: 188: 150: 101:of a circle. If the 708: 633:{\displaystyle x=b} 607:{\displaystyle x=a} 18:Circular arc length 1587:Weisstein, Eric W. 1526:Circular-arc graph 1521:Circle of a sphere 1489: 1422: 1359: 1226: 1215: 1128: 1101: 1029: 974: 915: 855: 802:to a full circle: 777: 712: 690: 630: 604: 575: 513: 511: 423:in degrees/360° = 401: 322: 260: 168: 40: 1484: 1471: 1417: 1344: 1204: 1131:{\displaystyle A} 1065: 1011: 956: 910: 897: 850: 832: 772: 684: 570: 470: 453: 396: 317: 299: 255: 237: 16:(Redirected from 1626: 1600: 1599: 1556:Tangential speed 1536:Lemon (geometry) 1498: 1496: 1495: 1490: 1485: 1477: 1472: 1470: 1462: 1461: 1452: 1431: 1429: 1428: 1423: 1418: 1416: 1408: 1407: 1398: 1368: 1366: 1365: 1360: 1355: 1354: 1349: 1345: 1337: 1276: 1274: 1273: 1270: 1267: 1234:power of a point 1224: 1222: 1221: 1216: 1205: 1203: 1195: 1178: 1140:Circular segment 1137: 1135: 1134: 1129: 1110: 1108: 1107: 1102: 1076: 1075: 1066: 1058: 1038: 1036: 1035: 1030: 1025: 1024: 1012: 1004: 983: 981: 980: 975: 967: 966: 957: 949: 924: 922: 921: 916: 911: 903: 898: 896: 895: 883: 871: 864: 862: 861: 856: 851: 849: 838: 833: 831: 830: 829: 813: 786: 784: 783: 778: 773: 768: 764: 763: 753: 721: 719: 718: 713: 707: 702: 697: 696: 689: 685: 677: 665: 664: 639: 637: 636: 631: 613: 611: 610: 605: 584: 582: 581: 576: 571: 569: 568: 556: 555: 546: 522: 520: 519: 514: 512: 471: 463: 454: 446: 410: 408: 407: 402: 397: 392: 381: 363: 360: 358: 357: 354: 351: 331: 329: 328: 323: 318: 316: 305: 300: 298: 284: 269: 267: 266: 261: 256: 254: 243: 238: 236: 192: 181:This is because 177: 175: 174: 169: 108:semicircular arc 90: 70: 21: 1634: 1633: 1629: 1628: 1627: 1625: 1624: 1623: 1604: 1603: 1585: 1584: 1564: 1551:Circular motion 1512: 1463: 1453: 1440: 1439: 1409: 1399: 1377: 1376: 1332: 1331: 1302: 1301: 1271: 1268: 1263: 1262: 1260: 1232:(also known as 1196: 1179: 1163: 1162: 1148: 1120: 1119: 1067: 1052: 1051: 1045: 1016: 992: 991: 958: 937: 936: 887: 877: 876: 872:on both sides: 869: 842: 821: 817: 807: 806: 755: 754: 741: 740: 734: 728: 672: 645: 644: 616: 615: 590: 589: 560: 547: 534: 533: 510: 509: 499: 493: 492: 482: 473: 472: 455: 436: 435: 427:/circumference. 382: 369: 368: 361: 355: 352: 347: 346: 344: 309: 288: 278: 277: 247: 186: 185: 148: 147: 123: 117: 88: 68: 36:circular sector 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1632: 1630: 1622: 1621: 1616: 1606: 1605: 1602: 1601: 1582: 1576: 1570: 1563: 1562:External links 1560: 1559: 1558: 1553: 1548: 1543: 1538: 1533: 1528: 1523: 1518: 1511: 1508: 1500: 1499: 1488: 1483: 1480: 1475: 1469: 1466: 1460: 1456: 1450: 1447: 1433: 1432: 1421: 1415: 1412: 1406: 1402: 1396: 1393: 1390: 1387: 1384: 1370: 1369: 1358: 1353: 1348: 1343: 1340: 1335: 1330: 1327: 1324: 1321: 1318: 1315: 1312: 1309: 1244:and the width 1214: 1211: 1208: 1202: 1199: 1194: 1191: 1188: 1185: 1182: 1176: 1173: 1170: 1147: 1144: 1127: 1112: 1111: 1100: 1097: 1094: 1091: 1088: 1085: 1082: 1079: 1074: 1070: 1064: 1061: 1044: 1041: 1040: 1039: 1028: 1023: 1019: 1015: 1010: 1007: 1002: 999: 985: 984: 973: 970: 965: 961: 955: 952: 947: 944: 926: 925: 914: 909: 906: 901: 894: 890: 886: 868:We can cancel 866: 865: 854: 848: 845: 841: 836: 828: 824: 820: 816: 788: 787: 776: 771: 767: 762: 758: 751: 748: 730:Main article: 727: 724: 723: 722: 711: 706: 701: 695: 688: 683: 680: 675: 671: 668: 663: 658: 655: 652: 629: 626: 623: 603: 600: 597: 586: 585: 574: 567: 563: 559: 554: 550: 544: 541: 524: 523: 508: 505: 502: 500: 498: 495: 494: 491: 488: 485: 483: 481: 478: 475: 474: 469: 466: 461: 458: 456: 452: 449: 444: 443: 429: 428: 412: 411: 400: 395: 391: 388: 385: 379: 376: 333: 332: 321: 315: 312: 308: 303: 297: 294: 291: 287: 271: 270: 259: 253: 250: 246: 241: 235: 232: 229: 226: 223: 220: 217: 214: 211: 208: 205: 202: 199: 195: 179: 178: 167: 164: 161: 158: 155: 116: 113: 83:, subtends an 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1631: 1620: 1617: 1615: 1612: 1611: 1609: 1597: 1596: 1591: 1588: 1583: 1580: 1577: 1574: 1571: 1569: 1566: 1565: 1561: 1557: 1554: 1552: 1549: 1547: 1546:Circumference 1544: 1542: 1539: 1537: 1534: 1532: 1529: 1527: 1524: 1522: 1519: 1517: 1514: 1513: 1509: 1507: 1505: 1486: 1481: 1478: 1473: 1467: 1464: 1458: 1454: 1448: 1445: 1438: 1437: 1436: 1419: 1413: 1410: 1404: 1400: 1394: 1391: 1388: 1385: 1382: 1375: 1374: 1373: 1356: 1351: 1346: 1341: 1338: 1333: 1328: 1322: 1319: 1316: 1313: 1307: 1300: 1299: 1298: 1296: 1293: −  1292: 1288: 1284: 1280: 1266: 1258: 1254: 1251:Consider the 1249: 1247: 1243: 1239: 1235: 1231: 1212: 1209: 1206: 1200: 1197: 1192: 1189: 1186: 1183: 1180: 1174: 1171: 1168: 1160: 1159:line segments 1156: 1152: 1145: 1143: 1142:for details. 1141: 1125: 1117: 1098: 1092: 1089: 1086: 1083: 1080: 1072: 1068: 1062: 1059: 1050: 1049: 1048: 1042: 1026: 1021: 1017: 1013: 1008: 1005: 1000: 997: 990: 989: 988: 971: 968: 963: 959: 953: 950: 945: 942: 935: 934: 933: 931: 912: 907: 904: 899: 892: 888: 884: 875: 874: 873: 852: 846: 843: 839: 834: 826: 822: 818: 814: 805: 804: 803: 801: 798:as the angle 797: 793: 774: 769: 765: 760: 756: 749: 746: 739: 738: 737: 733: 725: 709: 704: 699: 686: 681: 678: 673: 669: 666: 656: 653: 650: 643: 642: 641: 627: 624: 621: 601: 598: 595: 572: 565: 561: 557: 552: 548: 542: 539: 532: 531: 530: 527: 506: 503: 501: 496: 489: 486: 484: 479: 476: 467: 464: 459: 457: 450: 447: 434: 433: 432: 426: 422: 418: 417: 416: 398: 393: 389: 386: 383: 377: 374: 367: 366: 365: 350: 343: =  342: 338: 319: 313: 310: 306: 301: 295: 292: 289: 285: 276: 275: 274: 257: 251: 248: 244: 239: 193: 184: 183: 182: 165: 162: 159: 156: 153: 146: 145: 144: 142: 141: 140:central angle 136: 132: 128: 122: 114: 112: 110: 109: 104: 100: 99: 94: 93:circumference 87:greater than 86: 82: 78: 74: 71: 65: 61: 57: 53: 49: 45: 37: 32: 19: 1593: 1541:Meridian arc 1501: 1434: 1371: 1294: 1290: 1286: 1285:of the arc, 1278: 1264: 1256: 1250: 1245: 1241: 1237: 1227: 1113: 1046: 1043:Segment area 986: 929: 927: 867: 799: 791: 789: 735: 587: 528: 525: 430: 424: 413: 348: 340: 336: 334: 272: 180: 138: 134: 130: 124: 106: 96: 80: 59: 44:circular arc 43: 41: 1248:of an arc: 1155:The product 1116:arc segment 796:circle area 726:Sector area 419:measure of 1608:Categories 1228:Using the 335:and, with 127:arc length 119:See also: 1595:MathWorld 1389:− 1320:− 1187:⋅ 1093:θ 1090:⁡ 1084:− 1081:θ 1014:π 1006:α 969:θ 905:θ 847:π 840:θ 819:π 790:The area 766:θ 670:⁡ 558:− 387:π 384:α 314:π 307:θ 293:π 252:π 245:θ 160:θ 81:major arc 60:minor arc 1510:See also 64:subtends 1614:Circles 1372:whence 1283:sagitta 1275:⁠ 1261:⁠ 1157:of the 359:⁠ 345:⁠ 77:degrees 73:radians 46:is the 1619:Curves 1146:Radius 1138:. See 667:arcsin 115:Length 103:length 56:points 52:circle 1590:"Arc" 1516:Biarc 1253:chord 421:angle 143:— is 98:chord 85:angle 75:(180 50:of a 490:1440 1435:so 1087:sin 1009:360 640:is 614:to 477:360 451:360 394:180 356:180 48:arc 1610:: 1592:. 1506:. 507:4. 468:24 448:60 111:. 62:, 42:A 34:A 1598:. 1487:. 1482:2 1479:H 1474:+ 1468:H 1465:8 1459:2 1455:W 1449:= 1446:r 1420:, 1414:H 1411:4 1405:2 1401:W 1395:= 1392:H 1386:r 1383:2 1357:, 1352:2 1347:) 1342:2 1339:W 1334:( 1329:= 1326:) 1323:H 1317:r 1314:2 1311:( 1308:H 1295:H 1291:r 1287:H 1279:r 1272:2 1269:/ 1265:W 1257:W 1246:W 1242:H 1238:r 1213:P 1210:C 1207:+ 1201:P 1198:C 1193:B 1190:P 1184:P 1181:A 1175:= 1172:D 1169:C 1126:A 1099:. 1096:) 1078:( 1073:2 1069:r 1063:2 1060:1 1027:. 1022:2 1018:r 1001:= 998:A 972:. 964:2 960:r 954:2 951:1 946:= 943:A 930:r 913:. 908:2 900:= 893:2 889:r 885:A 870:π 853:. 844:2 835:= 827:2 823:r 815:A 800:θ 792:A 775:. 770:2 761:2 757:r 750:= 747:A 710:. 705:b 700:a 694:] 687:) 682:r 679:x 674:( 662:[ 657:r 654:= 651:L 628:b 625:= 622:x 602:a 599:= 596:x 573:. 566:2 562:x 553:2 549:r 543:= 540:y 504:= 497:L 487:= 480:L 465:L 460:= 425:L 399:. 390:r 378:= 375:L 362:π 353:/ 349:α 341:θ 337:α 320:, 311:2 302:= 296:r 290:2 286:L 258:. 249:2 240:= 234:e 231:c 228:n 225:e 222:r 219:e 216:f 213:m 210:u 207:c 204:r 201:i 198:c 194:L 166:. 163:r 157:= 154:L 135:θ 131:r 89:π 69:π 20:)

Index

Circular arc length

circular sector
arc
circle
points
subtends
π
radians
degrees
angle
circumference
chord
length
semicircular arc
Arc length § Arcs of circles
arc length
central angle
angle
Circular sector § Area
circle area
arc segment
Circular segment

The product
line segments
intersecting chords theorem
power of a point
chord
sagitta

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.