There are circles all around us in the real world such as a tire of a bicycle or a round wall clock. It is thus a familiar shape to us.
What is the Center of a Circle
Center refers to the middle point of any object. According to the specific definition of a center, an object may not have a center.
The center of a circle is a point inside the circle that is equidistant from each point on the circumference of the circle. It is also called the focus of the circle. Shown below is the center of a circle ‘O’.
Center of a Circle
The center helps to form some of the other parts of the circle such as the radius or the diameter. The shortest distance from the center to any point on the circumference is called the radius. The diameter is the line segment connecting two points on the circumference of the circle and passing through the center. The radius is then used to find the area of the circumference of the circle.
Example of Center of a Circle
Example of Center of a Circle
How to Find the Center of Circle
As discussed above, finding the center of a circle can help you perform basic geometric tasks like finding the circumference or area.
There are several ways to find the center. The 3 most widely used methods are shown below:
Method 1: Drawing Crossed Lines
Steps
Draw a circle
Sketch a chord between two points
Draw a second chord
Make another line between A and C
Join B and D
Find the center
Method 2: Using Overlapping Circles
Steps
Draw a chord between two points
Use a compass to draw two overlapping circles
Draw a vertical line through the two points at which the circles intersect
Erase the two overlapping circles
Sketch two new circles
Draw a line through the points at which these new circles intersect
Find the center
Method 3: Using a Straightedge and a Triangular Ruler
Steps
Draw two straight, intersecting tangent lines onto the circle
Translate both of the lines to the other side of the circle
Draw the diagonals of the parallelogram
Check the accuracy of the center with a compass
Solved Examples
Identify the center of the given circle.
Solution:
In the given circle, ‘O’ is the center.
Last modified on August 3rd, 2023
One thought on “Center of a Circle”
This is a great post! I learned a lot about the center of a circle.
Identify the center of the given circle.
This is a great post! I learned a lot about the center of a circle.