1 Perimeter

By studying this lesson you will be able to

• find the perimeter of a sector of a circle and
• solve problems related to the perimeter of plane figures containing sectors
of circles.

Perimeter of Plane Figures

In previous grades you have learnt how to find the perimeter of plane figures
such as a rectangle, a square, a triangle and a circle. Facts relating to these can be
summarized as follows.

Plane Figure Perimeter

Rectangle breadth 2 (length + breadth)

= =
length

Square 4 × length of a side

length

Triangle Sum of the lengths of the three sides

Circle 2π × radius
radius

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 Review Exercise
1. Find the perimeter of each of the following plane figures.
(i) (ii) (iii)
20 cm

10 cm 7 cm

12 cm

(iv) (v) (vi)

12 cm

3 cm 7 cm
3 cm 10 cm
8 cm

10 cm
2. Find the perimeter of the following figure.

3 cm 3 cm
4 cm 6 cm
While doing the above exercise you would have recalled facts on finding the
perimeter of some basic plane figures as well as of compound figures.
Now let us consider the perimeter of sectors of circles.

Sector of a circle

A The region which is shaded in this figure is a portion of a

circle with centre C which is bounded by two radii and a
part of the circumference. Such a portion is called a
C θ sector of a circle. The angle θ which is the angle
B
between the two radii is called the angle at the centre.

The angle at the centre can take any value from 0o to 360o.

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 • The sector that is obtained when the angle at the 180x
centre is 180o is a semi-circle. A B
C

A
• The sector that is obtained when the angle at the
centre is 90o is a quarter of the circle.
C B

1.1 Finding the arc length of a sector of a circle

r Arc length

θ
C
The figure illustrates a sector of a circle of radius r. Such a sector is called a sector
of radius r and angle at the centre θ. Let us now consider how the arc length of such
a sector of a circle is found.
Let us first find the arc length of a semi-circle of radius r.
We know that the circumference of a circle of radius r is 2πr.
Therefore, due to symmetry, the arc length of a semi-circle of radius r is given by

Here, the reason for taking the arc length of the semi-circle to be πr, that is, the
value of 2πr divided by 2, is the symmetry of the circle. The expression πr for
the arc length of a semi-circle of radius r can be obtained by reasoning out in the
following manner too.
Let us consider a circle and a semi-circle, both of radius r.

r The angle at the centre of the circle is 360o. The arc length
C corresponding to this angle is the circumference of the circle
which is 2πr.
x
360

Now let us consider the semi-circle.

The angle at the centre of the semi-circle is 180o, which is of

x
180
r r
360o. Therefore, the arc length of the semi-circle should be of
the arc length of the circle.
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 That is, the arc length of the semi-circle is

Writing this in more detail,

the arc length of the semi-circle

In the same manner, since the angle at the centre is 90o for a sector which is of
the circle,

r
C arc length of a sector which is of the circle
r

Reasoning out in this manner, an expression can easily be obtained for the arc
length of a sector of a circle of radius r with angle at the centre θ x.

r Arc length

x
θ
O r

The circumference of the circle = 2πr

Arc length = of the circumference.
360

Arc length
360

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 Study the following table to understand further about finding the arc length of a
sector of a circle.
Sector of a circle Length of the arc Angle at the centre Angle at the centre
as a fraction of the as a fraction of the
circumference (According total angle at the
to the figure) centre

(a) 180x
180x

90x
(b)

(c)
120x
120x 120x
120x

(d)
270x
270x

(e)
x 
360
θx 360

Observe the 1st and 2nd columns of the table. If the length of the arc of the circle can
be identified from the figure as a fraction of the circumference, then the length of
the arc can easily be found. When the angle at the centre is in degrees, this fraction
is
angle at the centre , as can be observed from column 4.
360

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Accordingly, it should be clearer to you now that the length of an arc with angle at
the centre θx and radius r is « 2πr.
360
Now let us consider several examples.
In the following examples and exercises it is assumed that the value of π is 22 .
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Example 1

(i) What fraction of the circumference of the circle in

cm

the figure is the arc length of the shaded sector?

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O 45
x
(ii) Find this arc length.

(i)

(ii) Arc length

Arc length is 5.5 cm.

Example 2

The arc length of the sector in the figure is 44 cm. Find the radius of
O
x
120 the corresponding circle. (i.e., the radius of the sector)

Let the radius be r cm.

Arc length of

The radius of the circle is 21 cm.

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 Example 3
The arc length of the sector in the figure is 11 cm. Find the angle at

m
the centre of this sector.

9c

Let θ o be the angle at the centre.

Then,
arc length

Therefore, the angle at the centre is 70o.

Exercise 1.1
1. Find the arc length of each of the sectors given below.

(i) (ii) (iii)

28 cm
7 cm 120x
21
c m

(iv) (v) (vi)

36x 35 cm
3'5 cm

10
240x 60x .5 c
m

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 1.2 Finding the perimeter of a sector of a circle

To obtain the perimeter of a sector of a circle, the arc length and the lengths of the
two radii by which the sector is bounded should be added together.
That is,

Arc length perimeter of the sector = arc length + radius + radius

r
= arc length + 2 « radius
θ
O r
Therefore,
x
the perimeter of a sector of a circle of radius r with angle at the centre θ

is

Example 1

The figure denotes a sector of a circle of radius 21 cm with angle at

the centre 120o. Find its perimeter.
120x
O 2
1c
m
Arc length

i.e., arc length is 44 cm.

The perimeter of the sector = 44 cm + 2 « 21 cm

= 86 cm

Example 2
The perimeter of a sector which is of a circle is 260 cm. Find its radius.

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Let us assume that the radius is r cm.

Arc length

The perimeter of the sector




The radius of the circle = 42 cm

Exercise 1.2
1. Find the arc length of each of the sectors given below.

(i) (ii) (iii) cm (iv)

21
x
60 200x
14 cm 7 cm
14 cm
2. Find the radius of the sector
(i) when the angle at the centre is 180x and the perimeter is 180 cm.
(ii) when the angle at the centre is 120x and the perimeter is 43 cm.
3. Find the angle at the centre of the sector,
(i) when the perimeter is 64 cm and radius is 21 cm.
(ii) when the perimeter is 53 cm and the radius is 21 cm.

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 1.3 The perimeter of compound plane figures containing sectors
of circles
Let us see how the perimeter of compound plane figures containing sectors of
circles is found by considering several examples.
Example 1
20 cm The figure illustrates how a semi-circle has been joined to a
rectangle of length 20 cm and breadth 14 cm such that the
14 cm breadth of the rectangle is the diameter of the semi-circle.
Find the perimeter of this figure.

Since the arc length of a semi-circle of radius r is ,

the arc length of the semi-circle of radius 7 cm cm

cm
The perimeter of the figure = 20 + 20 + 14 + 22 cm
= 76 cm
Example 2

15 cm
A B C
=

=
The figure represents a square lamina of side length
G
15 cm
15 cm. If the shaded sector (AGB) and the triangular
portion (GEF) are cut out, find the perimeter of the
8 cm portion (BCDFG) that is left over.

E 6 cm F D

Perimeter of BCDFG is BC + CD + DF + FG + arc length GB

First let us find the length of FG.
Let us apply PythogorasZ theorem to the right angled triangle GEF.

cm
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Next let us find the arc length GB.
Since the angle at the centre of the sector ABG is 90x,

cm

Finally let us find the length of BC and DF.
BC = 15 − 7 cm
= 8 cm
DF = 15 − 6 cm
= 9 cm
Perimeter of BCDFG = BC + CD + DF + FG + arc length GB
= 8 + 15 + 9 + 10 + 11 cm
= 53 cm

∴ The perimeter of the remaining portion of the lamina is 53 cm

Exercise 1.3
1. Find the perimeter of each of the following plane figures. O denotes the centre
of the circle of the sector in the figure.
(i) 18 cm (ii)
cm

= =
4

14 cm 7 cm
O O

2. A semi-circular portion of diameter 7 cm has been

cut out from a semi-circular lamina of radius 7 cm 7 cm
and welded to the lamina again as shown in the 7 cm
figure.
(i) Find the arc length of the sector of the circle of
radius 7 cm.
(ii) Find the arc length of the sector of the circle of diameter 7 cm
(iii) Find the perimeter of the shaded region.

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3. The figure illustrates how an equilateral triangle A
of side length 7 cm is drawn within a sector of a
circle of radius the length of a side of the triangle.
(i) Find the arc length of the sector of the circle.
(ii) Find the perimeter of the shaded region.

B C

A B

4. The figure shows two sectors of circles ABED and F

CDFB. If AB = 10.5 cm, find the perimeter of the
shaded region using the given data.

D C

P
5. The figure shows two sectors of circles of centre
A and radius AD and AR respectively. How much
greater is the perimeter of the sector APQR than the B Q
perimeter of the shaded region?
C
45x
A 3'5 cm D 3'5 cm R

Miscellaneous Exercise

1. A sector of a circle as shown in the figure, with angle

at the centre equal to 120o has been cut out from
a circular lamina of radius 21 cm. Show that the
perimeter of the remaining portion of the lamina is 21
120x cm
130 cm.

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2. The figure depicts a pond having semi-circular
boundaries. A protective fence along the boundary
of the pond has been planned.
14 m
(i) Find the perimeter of the pond.
(ii) It has been estimated that the cost of constructing
1 m of the fence is Rs. 5000. How much will it
cost to complete the whole fence? 35 m

3. The figure depicts a rectangular plot of land with two semi-circular flower beds
at the two ends. The shaded region is a lawn.
20 m
(i) Find the perimeter of the lawn.
It has been decided to lay tiles around the
lawn. Each tile is of length 25 cm. 14 m
(ii) Find the minimum number of tiles
that are required.

4. A portion of a grill to be fixed to a window has been

made by combining two equal sectors of circles as
shown in the figure. The person making the grill
states that based on the given data, a wire of length
128 cm is required for it. Show with reasons that his
60x
statement is correct.
21 cm

Summary

• The arc length of a sector of a circle of radius r with angle at the centre θx is given
by

• The perimeter of the sector is given by

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