16Hit1600
Geometry and TrigonometryVery hardArea of a sector

Geometry and Trigonometry practice question

A circle has radius 9. What is the area of the sector formed by a central angle of 40°?

  1. A. Correct
  2. B. 81π
  3. C.
  4. D. 18π

Answer: A. 9π

The whole circle's area is π(9)² = 81π. A 40° sector is 40/360 = 1/9 of the circle, so its area is (1/9)(81π) = 9π.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. 81π
81π is the area of the ENTIRE circle. The sector is only the 40° slice — one ninth of it.
C.
2π is the ARC LENGTH of the sector: (1/9)(18π). The question asks for the area, which uses πr², not 2πr.
D. 18π
18π is the circumference of the circle, 2π(9). Sector area starts from πr² = 81π, then takes the 40° fraction.

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