A central angle has its vertex at the circle’s center. Its measure tells you what fraction of a full turn an arc covers. To find arc length, multiply that fraction by the circumference; Desmos can handle the arithmetic. Use for the full turn, not , and don’t mistake an angle in degrees for a length.
Hints
- Hint 1
A central angle starts at the center and points to an arc. A full turn is . What fraction of a full turn does the given angle cover?
- Hint 2
An arc’s length is part of the circumference, not an angle measured in degrees. Once you know the angle’s fraction of a full turn, multiply that fraction by the entire circumference.
Step-by-step
Take a fraction of the circumference
Step 1Find the angle’s fraction of a full turn
Since is the center, is a central angle, an angle with its vertex at the center. A full turn is , so the given covers this fraction of the circle:
- Step 2
Read the fraction in Desmos
Type in Desmos. It shows ; click the fraction button beside it to see . Because is less than a half turn, this fraction belongs to the minor arc, the shorter path from to .
- Step 3
Apply that fraction to the circumference
The given is the circumference, the distance all the way around the circle. The arc takes the same fraction of the circumference as its central angle takes of a full turn. So write: . The is an angle, not a length.
- Step 4
Find the minor arc’s length
Type in Desmos; it shows . So the length of minor arc is . Choice B.