SOLUTION: Find the radius of a circle with center at (4,1) if a chord of length 4 times square root of 2 is bisected at (7,4).

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Question 166147: Find the radius of a circle with center at (4,1) if a chord of length 4 times square root of 2 is bisected at (7,4).
Answer by Edwin McCravy(20054) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Find the radius of a circle with center at (4,1) if a chord of length 4 times square root of 2 is bisected at (7,4).

Let O be the center of the circle (4,1).
Let P be the point (7,4), 
Let A and B be the endpoints of the chord,
so the chord is the segment AB. Draw the
graph:



Draw in OA and OP:



We need to find the length of OA since it 
is a radius of the circle.

Triangle OPA is a right triangle, since if a
bisector of a chord passes through the center of
a circle, then it is perpendicular to the chord.

We are given that chord AB has length 4sqrt%282%29,
and since P bisects it, then AP is half that length
or 2sqrt%282%29.

Next we will find the length of OP by use of the
distance formula:

d=sqrt%28+%28x%5B2%5D-x%5B1%5D%29%5E2+%2B+%28y%5B2%5D-y%5B1%5D%29%5E2+%29

using the given coordinates of O(4,1) and P(7,4):

OP=sqrt%28+%287-4%29%5E2+%2B+%284-1%29%5E2+%29

OP=sqrt%28+%283%29%5E2+%2B+%283%29%5E2+%29

OP=sqrt%289+%2B+9+%29

OP=sqrt%2818%29

OP=3sqrt%282%29

Now by the Pythagorean theorem,

OA%5E2=AP%5E2%2BOP%5E2

OA%5E2=%282sqrt%282%29%29%5E2%2B%283sqrt%282%29%29%5E2

OA%5E2=%284%2A2%29%2B%289%2A2%29

OA%5E2=8%2B18

OA%5E2=26

OA=sqrt%2826%29

And since OA is a radius, the circle has 
radius sqrt%2826%29.

Edwin