~ 3.9 ~

Applying Area of Circles

Learning Targets

  • I can write exact answers in terms of π.

  • I can calculate the area of more complicated shapes that include fractions of circles.

Notes

The relationship between A, the area of a circle, and r, its radius, is A=πr2. We can use this to find the area of a circle if we know the radius. For example, if a circle has a radius of 10 cm, then the area is π⋅102 or 100π cm2. We can also use the formula to find the radius of a circle if we know the area. For example, if a circle has an area of 49π m2 then its radius is 7 m and its diameter is 14 m.

Sometimes instead of leaving π in expressions for the area, a numerical approximation can be helpful. For the examples above, a circle of radius 10 cm has area about 314 cm2. In a similar way, a circle with area 154 m2 has radius about 7 m.

We can also figure out the area of a fraction of a circle. For example, the figure shows a circle divided into 3 pieces of equal area. The shaded part has an area of ⅓ π r2.

Activities

9.2 Comparing Areas Made of Circles

*Hint* Deconstruct the shapes.

1. Each square has a side length of 12 units. Compare the areas of the shaded regions in the 3 figures. Which figure has the largest shaded region? Explain or show your reasoning.

2. Each square in Figures D and E has a side length of 1 unit. Compare the area of the two figures. Which figure has more area? How much more? Explain or show your reasoning.

9.3 The Running Track Revisited

The field inside a running track is made up of a rectangle 84.39 m long and 73 m wide, together with a half-circle at each end. The running lanes are 9.76 m wide all the way around.


What is the area of the running track that goes around the field? Explain or show your reasoning.

Assignment

Check Google Classroom!