ACT Math · Area and volume

A square has side length 10. A semicircle with diameter 10 is removed from one side. Which value is closest to the remaining area?

A square has side length 10. A semicircle with diameter 10 is removed from one side. Which value is closest to the remaining area?

Answer and explanation

Answer: G: 61

The remaining area is the square minus the semicircle. The square has area 102=10010^2=100. The semicircle has diameter 1010, so radius 55 and area 12π(5)2=25π2≈39.3\frac{1}{2}\pi(5)^2=\frac{25\pi}{2}\approx39.3. The remaining area is 100−39.3≈60.7100-39.3\approx60.7, closest to 6161, choice G. Choice F (3939) is the semicircle's area alone. Choice H (7979) is the area of a full circle of radius 55, 25π≈78.525\pi\approx78.5, not the semicircle. Choice J (9292) subtracts an area that is too small. The remaining shape must be larger than half the square, but clearly less than 100100.

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