Mathematics Form 2 – Chapter 10 : Circles

10.1 Parts of a Circle

What is a circle ?

A circle is a set of points equidistant from a fixed point .

A) A centre of a circle is the fixed point where the distance from

any point on the circle is constant .

Centre

B) The circumference is the distance measured around the circle

which is equidistant from the circle .

C) The radius of a circle is the distance from the centre to any

point on the circumference of the circle .

D) The diameter of a circle is a straight line that connects two

points on the circumference and passes through the centre of

the circle .
E) The chord is a straight line that joins any two points on the

circumference of a circle .
F) An arc is a part of a circle between two points on the

circumference . ( shorter arc is called ‘ minor arc ‘ & longer arc is

called ‘ major arc ‘ ).

G) A segment is a region enclosed by a chord and an arc . ( shorter

arc is called ‘ minor arc ‘ & longer arc is called ‘ major arc ‘ ).

10.2 Circumference of a circle

 A) Finding the circumference of a circle

Example 1

Calculate the circumference of a circle which has a : ( ‘pi’= 22/7 )

a) Diameter of 14cm b) Radius of 3.5cm

Circumference =’pi’d Circumference =2’pi’r

=22/7 x 14 =2x22/7x3.5

=44cm =22cm

B) Finding the diameter and the radius of a circle

Example 2

Diameter = Circumference & Radius = Circumference

‘pi’ 2’pi’

Find the diameter of a circle which has a circumference of 132cm .

Diameter = Circumference/’pi’

=132

22/7

= 132 x 7/22

= 42cm