Congruent Parts Perimeter

Geometry Level 3

A unit circle is divided into 12 congruent regions, as shown. What is the perimeter of one of these regions?


The answer is 2.838745519.

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3 solutions

Marta Reece
Apr 23, 2018

Relevant wiki: Length and Area - Composite Figures - Intermediate

The longer arc must be 1 6 \frac16 of the circumference of the unit circle, that is π 3 \frac{\pi}3 .

From symmetry, the shorter arc must be 1 2 \frac12 of that or π 6 \frac{\pi}6 , since G B GB must be equal to B F BF .

To get lengths of the three identical straight segments, note that the yellow lines must be the same length, as they play the same role in shapes C B E D CBED and C A G F CAGF respectively.

The triangle A B C ABC has to be equilateral, so A H = H I = 1 2 AH=HI=\frac12 .

This gives us A B = 1 3 AB=\frac1{\sqrt3} and B E = 1 1 3 BE=1-\frac1{\sqrt3} .

The final result is then the sum π 3 + π 6 + 3 ( 1 1 3 ) 2.8387 \frac{\pi}3+\frac{\pi}6+3\cdot(1-\frac1{\sqrt3})\approx\boxed{2.8387} .

Moderator note:

As a bonus note, this diagram is based of a problem of the week from two weeks ago.

Week of April 23rd, Basic problem #5

Doubt in first sentence.

Satyam singh - 3 years, 1 month ago

Answer- Let the side which is cut is 'a', i,e which creates a gap in each of those radie be 'a'. Let b=2πr Now perimeter will be 2a+a+(b÷6)+(b÷12). This. 2a+a is due to symmetry, can be checked by visual inspection also.

What about this?

Satyam singh - 3 years, 1 month ago

This is wrong, as is "Brilliant" and everyone else - the correct answer is: "Unknown and cannot be solved unless given D [or r] and the units that D is expressed in, OR unless allowed to express the answer in terms of both Pi and D; And, since the puzzle specifically prohibits you from giving an answer in terms of either Pi or D, let alone both (it requires a decimal number and nothing else, without specifying units), that makes the answer by default 'Unknown and cannot be solved'. First you said: "The longer arc must be 1/6 of the circumference of the unit circle, that is Pi/3". Wrong. It is Pi D/6. Why would you assume D=2 (that r=1)? Then you said "From symmetry, the shorter arc must be 1/2 of that, or Pi/6" - again, wrong; the answer is Pi D/12 or Pi*r/6 - why are you leaving out the critical r? I don't get it. With that failed premise, nothing which you build on beyond that matters.

Danny Landrum - 3 years, 1 month ago

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Doesn't the question specify that it is a unit circle, so we know r? Or was this a later edit?

Ryan Johnston - 3 years, 1 month ago

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It was not a later edit. I am guessing people just missed it.

Jason Dyer Staff - 3 years, 1 month ago

Exactly my thoughts. We don't know the radius and the question does not specify it is a unit circle. It is unsolvable unless expressed with respects to a parameter r

Ermanno Attardo - 3 years, 1 month ago

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I'm guessing you just missed it - The first three words of the problem state "A unit circle".

Jason Dyer Staff - 3 years, 1 month ago

The problem specifies that we have a unit circle, which by definition has radius 1.

Zain Majumder - 3 years, 1 month ago

I don't get it why r u being so harsh and saying "This is wrong, as is "Brilliant" and everyone else" when it's your own mistake!!!!Duh!!

erica phillips - 3 years ago

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@ Erica Phillips - This is not texting. Spell out your words.

Dennis Rodman - 2 years, 7 months ago

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@Dennis Rodman It doesn't hurt until u understand

erica phillips - 2 years, 7 months ago

Please clarify that it's the unit circle, thanks ^^

Lukas Henke - 3 years, 1 month ago

Aren't you assuming GF is bisected? I don't see how you can provide that

Nathan Oetken - 3 years ago

I suggest that this problem should be better located in "Advanced."

Dennis Rodman - 2 years, 7 months ago
Andrew Hayes Staff
May 7, 2018

Relevant wiki: Length and Area - Composite Figures - Intermediate

Due to symmetry, the length of the longer arc is 1 6 \frac{1}{6} the circle's circumference, and the shorter arc is 1 2 \frac{1}{2} of that.

Also due to symmetry, each of the segments in the figure has the same length. Call this length x . x. We can extend some segments and connect some points to form a rhombus.

Note that the longer diameter of the rhombus is the circle's radius. Making use of special triangle relationships, we have

3 ( 1 x ) = 1 x = 1 3 3 \begin{aligned} \sqrt{3}(1-x) &= 1 \\ x &= 1-\frac{\sqrt{3}}{3} \end{aligned}

Summing the arc lengths and 3 x 3x gives 3 3 + π 2 2.839 . 3-\sqrt{3}+\frac{\pi}{2} \approx \boxed{2.839}.

Hey, quick question, how can we be sure that the smaller arc is 1/2 of the bigger one?

Kristi Dalipaj - 3 years, 1 month ago

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Look here:

The blue and red arcs are both smaller arcs in different parts, and they are both part of a larger arc in another part.

Andrew Hayes Staff - 3 years, 1 month ago

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I see now, thanks

Kristi Dalipaj - 3 years, 1 month ago

Can please explain the special trinagle relationship or please provide the source to it thank you

K Kbm - 3 years, 1 month ago

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Special triangles are right triangles that have angle measurements 45-45-90 or 30-60-90 (in degrees). See here for more information.

Andrew Hayes Staff - 3 years, 1 month ago

Thanks Andrew

K Kbm - 9 months ago
Michael Mendrin
May 7, 2018

First, draw line from A A to B B . If the radius of the circle is 1 1 , then P Q = A B = 1 PQ=AB = 1 also, so that A C = 1 2 AC = \dfrac{1}{2} .

From this, we can find A P = 1 3 AP= \dfrac{1}{\sqrt{3}} , so that Q A QA = 1 1 3 1-\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{3}}

Then the perimeter of each piece is

( 1 + 1 2 ) ( 1 6 ) 2 π + 3 ( 1 1 3 ) = 2.83875 (1+\dfrac{1}{2})(\dfrac{1}{6})2\pi + 3(1-\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{3}}) = 2.83875

Look for (or imagine) 1 6 \dfrac{1}{6} of radius 1 1 circle pizza slices to see how P Q = A B = 1 PQ=AB=1 and A C = 1 2 A B AC = \dfrac{1}{2}AB
Consider those pieces that include points P P and A A as the center of their arcs.

How do you know AB is 1 and AC 1/2?

Gustaf Carstam - 3 years, 1 month ago

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See my added comments. A B = P Q = 1 AB = PQ = 1

Michael Mendrin - 3 years, 1 month ago

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Ok, I can see AB = PQ, but I still don't see how to know that AC = 1/2AB (plus I dont even see a point labled D on the drawing.)

Gustaf Carstam - 3 years, 1 month ago

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@Gustaf Carstam Fixed! AD changed to AB. Consider the symmetry of the figure, above and below the horizontal diameter of the circle. I could draw in more lines, but I was afraid that would only confuse things more.

Try to look past the flower in the center, which could be confusing things for you. Just look at the 6 basic pizza slices like how everybody slices pizza.

Michael Mendrin - 3 years, 1 month ago

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