ACT Math · Circles, arcs, and sectors

An arc has length 10π and corresponds to a central angle of 100°. What is the radius of the circle?

An arc has length 10π10\pi and corresponds to a central angle of 100°100°. What is the radius of the circle?

Answer and explanation

Answer: B: 18

The arc length is the fraction 100360=518\frac{100}{360}=\frac{5}{18} of the circumference, so 10π=518(2πr)=5πr910\pi=\frac{5}{18}(2\pi r)=\frac{5\pi r}{9}. Multiply both sides by 95π\frac{9}{5\pi}: r=10π⋅95π=18r=\frac{10\pi\cdot9}{5\pi}=18, choice B. Check: the circumference is 36π36\pi, and 518⋅36π=10π\frac{5}{18}\cdot36\pi=10\pi. Choice A (1010) treats the arc length as if it equaled the radius times π\pi without using the angle. Choice C (3636) is the diameter, twice the correct radius. Choice D (100100) simply reuses the angle measure. Work from arc =θ360⋅2πr=\frac{\theta}{360}\cdot2\pi r.

More Circles, arcs, and sectors questions

All Circles, arcs, and sectors questions

Learn the method behind questions like this one

The ACT Math course teaches each tested skill through lessons, step-by-step solutions to sample problems, the complete study guide and full-length practice tests.