Chapter 5: Problem 126
Area of a Sector of a Circle If a slice with central angle \(\alpha\) radians is cut from a pizza of radius \(r,\) then what is the area of the slice?
Short Answer
Expert verified
\( \frac{1}{2} r^2 \alpha \)
Step by step solution
01
Understand the formula for the area of a sector
The area of a sector of a circle is given by the formula \(\frac{1}{2} r^2 \theta\), where \(r\) is the radius of the circle and \( \theta \) is the central angle in radians.
02
Identify the given values
In the problem, the radius \( r \) of the pizza is given as \( r \) and the central angle \( \theta \) is \( \alpha \) radians.
03
Substitute the values into the formula
Substitute the radius \( r \) and the angle \( \alpha \) into the formula for the area of a sector: \[ \frac{1}{2} r^2 \alpha \].
04
Simplify the expression
The area of the slice is simply \[ \frac{1}{2} r^2 \alpha \]. Since no specific values for \(r\) and \( \alpha \) are given, this is the simplified expression for the area of the slice.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
circle
A circle is a perfectly round shape. It is defined as the set of all points in a plane that are at the same distance from a given point called the center. The distance from the center to any point on the circle is called the radius. Understanding the properties of a circle is essential for grasping more complex topics, such as the area of a sector.
Key properties of a circle include:
Key properties of a circle include:
- The center, which is the fixed point inside the circle.
- The radius, which is the distance from the center to the boundary point.
- The diameter, which is twice the radius and passes through the center, touching two points on the circle's edge.
- The circumference, which is the total distance around the circle and is given by the formula \( 2 \pi\ r \).
central angle
A central angle is an angle whose vertex is at the center of a circle. The sides, or arms, of the angle extend to the circumference of the circle. This angle is vital when calculating the area of a sector.
Characteristic features of a central angle:
Characteristic features of a central angle:
- It is always formed by two radii of the circle.
- The measure of the angle determines the size of the sector.
- For example, in a pizza slice, the central angle is the angle at the tip of the slice, where all the edges converge at the pizza's center.
radians
Radians are a unit of angular measurement used in many areas of mathematics. One radian is the angle created when the radius is wrapped along the circle's circumference. There are \( 2 \pi \) radians in a full circle, which corresponds to 360 degrees.
Converting between degrees and radians:
Converting between degrees and radians:
- To convert from degrees to radians: \(\theta (in radians) = \frac{\theta (in degrees) \cdot \pi }{180} \)
- To convert from radians to degrees: \(\theta (in degrees) = \theta (in radians) \cdot \frac{180}{\pi} \)
radius
The radius of a circle is the distance from the center of the circle to any point on its perimeter. The radius is a key component in formulas involving circles, such as the area, circumference, and area of a sector.
Important notes about radius:
Important notes about radius:
- The radius is always positive and is measured in units such as centimeters, meters, etc.
- Knowing the radius allows you to calculate the diameter (\diameter = 2 \times radius \).
- In the area of a sector formula, \( \frac{1}{2} r^2 \theta \, the radius is squared and then multiplied by the central angle in radians.