SOLUTION: Two parallel chords on the same side of the centre of a circle are 5 cm apart. If the chords are 20 and 28 cm long, what is the radius of the circle?

Algebra.Com
Question 765501: Two parallel chords on the same side of the centre of a circle are 5 cm apart. If the chords are 20 and 28 cm long, what is the radius of the circle?
Answer by Edwin McCravy(20056)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!


Draw the two chords. Let O be the center of the circle.  Draw OC 
perpendicular to both chords. That divides the two chords in half.
So CD = 10 and AB = 14.  Draw radii OA and OD, both equal to radius r.
We are given that BC = 5, the distance between the two chords.  Let
OB = x.

We use the Pythagorean theorem on right triangle ABO

AO² = AB² + OB²
 r² = 14² + x²

We use the Pythagorean theorem on right triangle DCO

DO² = CD² + OC²

We see that OC = OB+BC = x+5, so

 r² = 10² + (x+5)²

So we have a system of two equations:

  r² = 14² + x²
  r² = 10² + (x+5)²

Since both left sides equal r², set the right sides
equal to each other. 

 14² + x² = 10² + (x+5)²
 196 + x² = 100 + x² + 10x + 25
      196 = 125 + 10x
       71 = 10x
      7.1 = x

       r² = 14² + x²
       r² = 196 + (7.1)²
       r² = 196 + 50.41
       r² = 246.41
        r = √246.41
        r = 15.69745202 cm 

Edwin


RELATED QUESTIONS

Two parallel chords on opposite sides of the centre of a circle are 9 cm apart. If the... (answered by lwsshak3)
Two parallel chords on opposite sides of the centre of a circle are 9 cm apart. If the... (answered by ankor@dixie-net.com)
Two parallel chords 16 cm and 30 cm long are 23cm apart. What is the radius of the... (answered by scott8148)
in a circle of radius 20 cm the distance between a pair of equal and parallel chords is... (answered by pedjajov)
TWO PARALLEL CHORDS PQ AND MN ARE 3 cm APART ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE CIRCLE WHERE PQ=7 cm (answered by MathLover1)
two parallel chords lie on opposite sides of the centre of a circle of radius 13cm. their (answered by Boreal)
Pleas help me to solve this question: AB and CD are two parallel chords of a circle. If... (answered by Seutip,Edwin McCravy)
two parallel chords, 16 cm and 30 cm are 23 cm apart. find the radius of the circle that... (answered by fractalier)
AB and CD are parallel chords of a circle of radius 10cm, their length are 18cm and 5cm... (answered by greenestamps)