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Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Your notes
International Maths: Extended
Circles, Arcs & Sectors
Contents
Area & Circumference of Circles
Arc Lengths & Sector Areas
Page 1 of 10
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Area & Circumference of Circles
Your notes
Area & Circumference
What are the properties of a circle?
A circle is a shape that is made up of all the points on a 2D plane that are equidistant from a single point
Equidistant means the same distance
The circumference of a circle is its perimeter
The diameter, d, of a circle is twice its radius, r
π (pi) is the number (3.14159 …) that is the ratio between a circle’s diameter and its circumference
You may be asked to give an answer to a question as an 'exact value' or 'in terms of π '
What circle formulae do I need to know?
The formulae for the area and circumference of a circle are given to you in your exam
However, it can be useful to remember them!
The area of a circle can be calculated using the formula:
A = π r2
The circumference of a circle can be calculated using either of the following two formulae:
C= π d
C = 2π r
Page 2 of 10
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Your notes
Working with circle formulae is just like working with any other formula:
Write down what you know (or what you want to know)
Pick the correct formula
Substitute the values in and solve
How do I find the circumference of a circle?
Identify the diameter
This is double the length of the radius
Multiply the diameter by π
How do I find the area of a circle?
Identify the radius
This is half the length of the diameter
Square the radius
Multiply the radius squared by π
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Page 3 of 10
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Remember that area is always measured in square units (cm2, m2, ... etc.) and circumference is
always measured in units of a single length (cm, m, ... etc.)
Your notes
Worked Example
Find the area and perimeter of the semicircle shown in the diagram.
Give your answers in terms of π .
The area of a semicircle is half the area of the full circle with the same diameter, so begin by finding
the area of the full circle
Find the radius by dividing the diameter by 2
16
r= = 8 cm
2
Substitute this into the formula for the area of a circle A = π r 2 .
Leave your answer in terms of π , (this just means do not multiply by π on your calculator)
A full circle = π (8) 2 = 64π
Find the area of the semicircle by dividing the full area by 2
Page 4 of 10
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1 64
A semicircle = ( 64π) = π = 32π
2 2 Your notes
Area = 32π cm2
The perimeter of the semicircle is made up of both the arc of the circle (half of the circumference)
and the diameter of the semicircle
Find the full length of the circumference of the circle using the formula
C = 2π r (or C = π d )
Substitute the radius = 8 cm into the formula
Again, leave your answer in terms of π
C = 2π (8) = 16π
Find the length of the arc (the curved part of the perimeter of the semicircle) by dividing the full area
by 2
1 16
Curved length = ( 16π) = π = 8π
2 2
Find the full perimeter by adding this to the length of the diameter of the circle
Perimeter = 8π+16 cm
Page 5 of 10
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Arc Lengths & Sector Areas
Your notes
Arc Lengths & Sector Areas
What is an arc?
An arc is a part of the circumference of a circle
Two points on a circumference of a circle will create two arcs
The smaller arc is known as the minor arc
The bigger arc is known as the major arc
What is a sector?
A sector is the part of a circle enclosed by two radii (radiuses) and an arc
A sector looks like a slice of a circular pizza
The curved edge of a sector is the arc
Two radii in a circle will create two sectors
The smaller sector is known as the minor sector
The bigger sector is known as the major sector
What formulae do I need to know?
You need to be able to calculate the length of an arc and the area of a sector
The angle formed in a sector by the two radii is often labelled θ (the Greek letter “theta”)
You can calculate the area of a sector or the length of an arc by adapting the formulae for the area or
circumference of a circle
A full circle is equal to 360° so the fraction will be the angle, θ°, out of 360°
θ
Area of a sector = × π r2
360
θ
Arc length = × 2π r
360
Page 6 of 10
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Your notes
Working with sector and arc formulae is just like working with any other formula:
Write down what you know (or what you want to know)
Pick the correct formula
Substitute the values in and solve
How do I find the length of an arc?
STEP 1
Divide the angle by 360 to form a fraction
θ
360
STEP 2
Calculate the circumference of the full circle
2πr
STEP 3
Multiply the fraction by the circumference
θ
× 2πr
360
Page 7 of 10
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How do I find the area of a sector?
STEP 1 Your notes
Divide the angle by 360 to form a fraction
θ
360
STEP 2
Calculate the area of the full circle
πr 2
STEP 3
Multiply the fraction by the area
θ
× πr 2
360
Examiner Tips and Tricks
The area and circumference of a circle formulae are given to you in the exam.
You just need to remember how to find the correct fraction of the whole circle.
Worked Example
A sector of a circle is shown.
Page 8 of 10
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Your notes
The angle, θ, is 72° and the radius, r, is 5 cm.
(a) Find the area of the sector, giving your answer correct to 3 significant figures.
θ
Substitute θ = 72° and r = 5 into the formula for the area of a sector, A = π r2
360
72
A= π × 52
360
Use a calculator to work out this value
15.70796...
Round your answer to 3 significant figures
Page 9 of 10
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15.7 cm2
(b) Find the length of the arc of the sector, giving your answer as a multiple of π . Your notes
θ
Substitute θ = 72° and r = 5 into the formula for the length of an arc, l = 2π r
360
72
l= × 2 × π× 5
360
Simplify the number part without π
72 1
× 2 × 5 = × 10 = 2
360 5
Write down the final answer with π
2π cm
Page 10 of 10
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