An arc length is just a fraction of the circumference of the entire circle. So we need to find the fraction of the circle made by the central angle we know, then find the circumference of the total circle made by the radius we know. Then we just multiply them together. Let’s try an example where our central angle is 72° and our radius is 3 meters.
First, let’s find the fraction of the circle’s circumference our arc length is. The whole circle is 360°. Let’s say our part is 72°. We make a fraction by placing the part over the whole and we get 72360, which reduces to 15. So, our arc length will be one fifth of the total circumference. Now we just need to find that circumference.
The circumference can be found by the formula C = πd when we know the diameter and C = 2πr when we know the radius, as we do here. Plugging our radius of 3 into the formula, we get C = 6π meters or approximately 18.8495559 m.
Now we multiply that by 15 (or its decimal equivalent 0.2) to find our arc length, which is 3.769911 meters. Note that our units will always be a length.
How to Find the Sector Area
Just as every arc length is a fraction of the circumference of the whole circle, the sector area is simply a fraction of the area of the circle. So to find the sector area, we need to find the fraction of the circle made by the central angle we know, then find the area of the total circle made by the radius we know. Then we just multiply them together. Let’s try an example where our central angle is 72° and our radius is 3 meters.
First, let’s find the fraction of the circle’s area our sector takes up. The whole circle is 360°. Our part is 72°. We make a fraction by placing the part over the whole and we get 72360, which reduces to 15. So, our sector area will be one fifth of the total area of the circle. Now we just need to find that area.
The area can be found by the formula A = πr2. Plugging our radius of 3 into the formula we get A = 9π meters squared or approximately 28.27433388 m2.
Now we multiply that by 15 (or its decimal equivalent 0.2) to find our sector area, which is 5.654867 meters squared. Note that our answer will always be an area so the units will always be squared.
