The Formula for the Radius of a Circle

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 130 views

Introduction

In geometry, a circle is a set of points that are all equidistant from a central point called the center. The distance from the center to any point on the circle is called the radius. In this article, we will discuss how to find the radius of a circle given its center and a point that lies on the circle.

What is a Circle?

A circle is a closed curve where every point on the curve is equidistant from a fixed central point called the center. The distance from the center to any point on the circle is called the radius. The radius is a measure of the size of the circle.

The Formula for the Radius of a Circle

The formula for the radius of a circle is given by:

r = √((x2 - x1)^2 + (y2 - y1)^2)

where (x1, y1) is the center of the circle and (x2, y2) is a point that lies on the circle.

Step-by-Step Solution

To find the radius of the circle whose center is (1, -7) and passes through (5, -4), we can use the formula above.

Step 1: Identify the Center and the Point

The center of the circle is given as (1, -7) and the point that lies on the circle is given as (5, -4).

Step 2: Plug in the Values into the Formula

We can now plug in the values into the formula:

r = √((5 - 1)^2 + (-4 - (-7))^2) r = √((4)^2 + (3)^2) r = √(16 + 9) r = √25

Step 3: Simplify the Expression

The expression can be simplified by taking the square root of 25, which is equal to 5.

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed how to find the radius of a circle given its center and a point that lies on the circle. We used the formula r = √((x2 - x1)^2 + (y2 - y1)^2) to find the radius of the circle whose center is (1, -7) and passes through (5, -4). The radius of the circle is equal to 5.

Example Problems

Here are a few example problems to help you practice finding the radius of a circle:

Find the radius of a circle whose center is (2, 3) and passes through (6, 1).
Find the radius of a circle whose center is (-1, 2) and passes through (3, -1).
Find the radius of a circle whose center is (4, -5) and passes through (1, 2).

Tips and Tricks

Here are a few tips and tricks to help you find the radius of a circle:

Make sure to identify the center and the point that lies on the circle.
Plug in the values into the formula correctly.
Simplify the expression by taking the square root of the result.

Real-World Applications

The concept of finding the radius of a circle has many real-world applications, such as:

Calculating the distance between two points on a map.
Finding the diameter of a circle.
Calculating the area of a circle.

Conclusion

Q: What is the formula for finding the radius of a circle?

A: The formula for finding the radius of a circle is given by:

r = √((x2 - x1)^2 + (y2 - y1)^2)

where (x1, y1) is the center of the circle and (x2, y2) is a point that lies on the circle.

Q: How do I identify the center and the point that lies on the circle?

A: To identify the center and the point that lies on the circle, you need to look at the problem and identify the coordinates of the center and the point. The center is usually given as (x1, y1) and the point is usually given as (x2, y2).

Q: What if the point lies on the circle but the coordinates are not given?

A: If the point lies on the circle but the coordinates are not given, you can use the distance formula to find the distance between the center and the point. The distance formula is given by:

d = √((x2 - x1)^2 + (y2 - y1)^2)

You can then set the distance equal to the radius of the circle and solve for the radius.

Q: Can I use the radius formula to find the diameter of a circle?

A: Yes, you can use the radius formula to find the diameter of a circle. The diameter of a circle is twice the radius, so if you know the radius, you can multiply it by 2 to find the diameter.

Q: What if the circle is not a perfect circle?

A: If the circle is not a perfect circle, you may need to use a different formula to find the radius. In this case, you can use the formula for the radius of an ellipse, which is given by:

r = √((x2 - x1)^2 + (y2 - y1)^2) / 2

Q: Can I use the radius formula to find the area of a circle?

A: Yes, you can use the radius formula to find the area of a circle. The area of a circle is given by:

A = πr^2

You can plug in the value of the radius into this formula to find the area.

Q: What if I have a circle with a center at (0, 0) and a point at (3, 4)?

A: To find the radius of this circle, you can plug in the values into the radius formula:

r = √((3 - 0)^2 + (4 - 0)^2) r = √(9 + 16) r = √25 r = 5

Q: What if I have a circle with a center at (2, 3) and a point at (6, 1)?

A: To find the radius of this circle, you can plug in the values into the radius formula:

r = √((6 - 2)^2 + (1 - 3)^2) r = √(16 + 4) r = √20 r = √(4*5) r = 2√5

Conclusion

In conclusion, finding the radius of a circle is a simple process that involves using the formula r = √((x2 - x1)^2 + (y2 - y1)^2). By following the steps outlined in this article, you can find the radius of a circle given its center and a point that lies on the circle.