Trigonometry (10th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321671775
ISBN 13: 978-0-32167-177-6

Chapter 3 - Review Exercises - Page 129: 32

Answer

The central angle will be one-half of the original measurement (or halved).

Work Step by Step

Recall: The arclength of a circle is given by the formula $S=r\theta$ where $r$=radius of the circle and $\theta$=the measure of the central angle. Deriving the formula for the central angle gives: \begin{align*} S&=r\theta\\\\ \frac{S}{r}&=\frac{r\theta}{r}\\\\ \frac{S}{r}&=\theta\\\\ \theta&=\frac{S}{r} \end{align*} Suppose the length of a certain arc is $5$. Substituting $5$ to $S$ in the formula above gives $\theta=\dfrac{5}{2r}$. If the radius is doubled and the arclength $S$ is retained, then the central angle becomes: $$\theta=\dfrac{5}{2r}$$ Notice that the central angle $\theta$ was reduced to $\dfrac{1}{2}$ of the original measurement. Therefore, when the radius of a circle is doubled (with everything else unchanged), the central angle measurement will be $\bf\text{halved}$.
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