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MINOR ARC

Minor Arc

Definition Of Minor Arc

Minor Arc is smaller of the two arcs formed when a circle is divided into two unequal parts.

More About Minor Arc

The measure of the minor arc is always less than 180° or π radian.
The sum of the measures of the major arc and the minor arc is equal to 360° or 2π radian.

Examples of Minor Arc

Examples of   Minor Arc

Arc PQR is a minor arc, as the measure of arc PQR is less than 180o°.

Video Examples: Minor Arc

Solved Example on Minor Arc

Ques: Identify the minor arc in the figure.

Examples of   Minor Arc

Choices:

A. Arc BCD
B. Arc ABD
C. Arc BAD
D. Arc ADC
Correct Answer: A

Solution:

Step 1: An arc of measure less than 180 degrees is the minor arc.
Step 2: In the figure, arc BCD measures less than 180 degrees. So, arc BCD is the minor arc in the circle.

Quick Summary

  • A minor arc is smaller than a semicircle.
  • The measure of a minor arc is less than 180 degrees.
  • The sum of a major arc and minor arc sharing the same endpoints is 360 degrees.
\[ Measure of minor arc < 180° \]

🍎 Teacher Insights

Use visual aids to differentiate between minor and major arcs. Emphasize the relationship between the central angle and the measure of the arc.

🎓 Prerequisites

  • Circles
  • Angles
  • Arc Length

Check Your Knowledge

Q1: Which of the following is always true about a minor arc?

Q2: If a major arc measures 250 degrees, what is the measure of the corresponding minor arc?

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do you identify a minor arc?
A: A minor arc is identified as the shorter path between two points on a circle's circumference. Its measure is always less than 180 degrees.

Q: What is the relationship between a minor arc and a major arc?
A: A minor arc and a major arc share the same two endpoints on a circle. Together, they form the entire circumference of the circle (360 degrees).

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