Circles, Arcs & Sectors (Edexcel GCSE Maths: Higher)

Exam Questions

4 hours60 questions
1
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2 marks

A circle has a diameter of 140 cm.

Work out the circumference of the circle.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

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2
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2 marks

Here is a circle.

q2-4-6-easy-edexcel-gcse-maths

The diameter of the circle is 9 cm.

Work out the circumference of this circle.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

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3
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2 marks
q3-4-6-easy-edexcel-gcse-maths

O A B is a sector of a circle, centre O.
The radius of the circle is 15 cm.
The angle of the sector is 30 degree.

Calculate the area of sector O A B.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

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4
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2 marks

The diagram shows a sector of a circle of radius 7 cm.

q4-4-6-easy-edexcel-gcse-maths

Work out the length of arc A B.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

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5
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2 marks

The diagram shows a sector of a circle of radius 4 cm.

q5-4-6-easy-edexcel-gcse-maths

Work out the length of the arc A B C.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

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6
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2 marks

The diagram shows sector space O P Q spaceof a circle, centre O

q11-4ma1-1hr-qp-jan22-paper1-igcse-maths-1

O P space equals space O Q space equals space 7.1 space cm
Angle P O Q space equals space 110 degree

Calculate the area of sector O P Q
Give your answer correct to one decimal place.

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7
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2 marks

The diagram shows a sector of a circle with radius 7 cm.

q12-4ma1-1h-qp-june21-paper1-igcse-maths

Work out the length of the arc of the sector.
Give your answer correct to one decimal place.

....................................................... cm

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8
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3 marks

The shape, shown shaded in the diagram, is the region between two semicircles.

q10-paper1hr-jan2019-edexcel-igcse-maths

The diameter of the outer semicircle is 12 cm.
The shape has constant thickness 2 cm.

Calculate the area of the shape.
Give your answer as a multiple of pi.

cm squared                   

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9
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1 mark

Work out the arc length, in metres, of a semicircle of radius 6 metres.

Circle your answer.

3 text italic π end text

6 pi

12 pi

18 pi

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10
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1 mark

A circle has circumference C and diameter d space.  

qx2IoKZ9_q5-paper-2h-nov-2018-aqa-gcse-maths

  C space equals space k d
What value does the constant k represent?

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11
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2 marks

Here is a quarter circle of radius 6 cm

q7-paper1h-nov2017-aqa-gcse-maths

Work out the area of the quarter circle.
Give your answer in terms of straight pi.

............................cm2

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12
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2 marks

A circular table top has radius 70 cm.

Calculate the area of the table top in cm2, giving your answer as a multiple ofpi.

....................... cm2 

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1
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3 marks
q7-4-6-easy-edexcel-gcse-maths

Jon has a flower garden in the shape of a circle.
The diameter of the garden is 5 metres.

Jon wants to put fencing around the edge of the garden.
The fencing costs £1.80 per metre.

Work out the total cost of the fencing.

£ .................................

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2
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3 marks

The diagram shows a circle drawn inside a square.

q8-4-6-easy-edexcel-gcse-maths

The circle has a radius of 6 cm.
The square has a side of length 12 cm.

Work out the shaded area.
Give your answer in terms of pi.

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3
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3 marks

The diagram shows a circle inside a square.

q9-4-6-easy-edexcel-gcse-maths

A B C D is a square of side 10cm.
Each side of the square is a tangent to the circle.

Work out the total area of the shaded regions in terms of pi.
Give your answer in its simplest form.

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4
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4 marks

The diagram shows the top of Levi's birthday cake.

q10-4-6-easy-edexcel-gcse-maths

The top of the cake is in the shape of a circle.
The diameter of the circle is 7 inches.

A ribbon is going to be put around the side of the cake.
Ribbons are sold in 50 cm lengths.

1 inch is 2.54 cm.

Work out if one length of ribbon is long enough to go all the way around the cake.
You must show your working.

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5a
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2 marks

Hasmeet walks once round a circle with diameter 80 metres.

q5-4-6-medium-edexcel-gcse-maths

There are 8 points equally spaced on the circumference of the circle.

Find the distance Hasmeet walks between one point and the next point.

5b
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1 mark

Four of the points are moved, as shown in the diagram below.

q6-4-6-medium-edexcel-gcse-maths

Hasmeet walks once round the circle again.

Has the mean distance that Hasmeet walks between one point and the next point changed?
You must give a reason for your answer.

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6
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4 marks

O A B is a sector of a circle with centre O and radius 7 cm.

bV5GMp8X_q6-4-6-medium-edexcel-gcse-maths

The area of the sector is 40 cm2.

Calculate the perimeter of the sector.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

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7
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4 marks

The diagram shows a circle with centre O

q16-january-2022-1h-edexcel-igcse-maths

A comma space B and space C spaceare points on the circle so that the length of the arc A B C is 5 cm.

Given that angle A O C = 55°

work out the area of the circle.
Give your answer correct to one decimal place.

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8
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3 marks

The region, shown shaded in the diagram, is a path.

q8-4ma1-1h-qp-jan21-paper1-igcse-maths

The boundary of the path is formed by two semicircles, with the same centre O, and two straight lines.

The inner semicircle has a radius of 7 metres.
The path has a width of 2 metres.

Work out the perimeter of the path.
Give your answer correct to one decimal place.

...................................................... m 

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9
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4 marks

A circle centre O has radius 9 cm.

q11-4ma1-2hr-qp-jan21-paper2-igcse-maths

Calculate the perimeter of the shaded sector of the circle.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

...................................................... cm

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10
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3 marks

The diagram shows Yuen’s garden.

q5-4ma1-1hr-qp-jan20-paper1-igcse-maths

The garden is in the shape of a semicircle of radius 7.2 straight m.
Yuen is going to cover his garden with grass seed.

Yuen has 12 boxes of grass seed.
Each box of grass seed contains enough seed to cover 6 straight m squared of the garden.

Has Yuen enough grass seed for his garden?
Show your working clearly.

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11a
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1 mark

Two wire shapes make an earring.
The shapes are

a circle with radius 21 mm

and

a quarter circle.

q12-paper-1h-nov-2020-aqa-gcse-maths

radius of circle : radius of quarter circle = 7 : 2

Show that the radius of the quarter circle is 6 mm

11b
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4 marks

Work out the total length of the wire in the earring.

Give your answer in the form a pi space plus space b where a and b are integers.

...............................mm

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12
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4 marks

A shaded semicircle is inside a circle as shown.

q9-paper-1h-june-2019-aqa-gcse-maths

The radius of the circle is 10 cm
The diameter of the semicircle is 8 cm

How many times bigger is the unshaded area than the shaded area?

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13
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2 marks

Here are two sectors from different circles.

q16-paper-3h-june-2019-aqa-gcse-maths

Which sector has the bigger area?

Tick a box.

square Sector A            square Sector B

Show working to support your answer.

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14
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4 marks

Two identical quarter circles are cut from a rectangle as shown.

q8-paper-2h-nov-2018-aqa-gcse-maths

Work out the shaded area.

..........................cm2

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15
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3 marks

Here is a circle touching a square.

q12-paper1h-june2017-aqa-gcse-maths

The area of the square is 64 cm2

Work out the area of the circle.

Give your answer in terms of pi.

........................................ cm

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16
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3 marks

The shape below is formed from two semicircles and a straight line.

q13-paper6-nov2018-ocr-gcse-maths

The radius of the large semicircle is 8cm.
The radius of the small semicircle is tcm.

Find an expression, in terms of t, for the exact perimeter of the shaded shape.

........................ cm 

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17
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5 marks

The design below is made from two sectors of circles, centre O.

q8-paper6-nov2017-ocr-gcse-maths

Calculate the perimeter of the shaded part.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

......................... cm

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1
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5 marks

The diagram shows a plan of Brian's lawn.

q7-4-6-medium-edexcel-gcse-maths

The edge of the lawn consists of two semicircles and two straight lines.
Each semicircle has centre O.
The diameters of the semicircles are 9 m and 5 m.

Brian is going to put lawn edging around the edge of the lawn. Lawn edging is sold in 2.4 metre rolls.

Brian has £35

Lawn edging

£3.99 per roll
or
3 rolls for £10

Has Brian got enough money to buy all the rolls of lawn edging he needs?
You must show all your working.

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2
Sme Calculator
4 marks

Saphia is organising a conference.

People at the conference will sit at circular tables.

q8-4-6-medium-edexcel-gcse-maths

Each table has a diameter of 140 cm.
Each person needs 60 cm around the circumference of the table.

There are 12 of these tables in the conference room.
A total of 90 people will be at the conference.

Are there enough tables in the conference room?

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3
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5 marks
q9-4-6-medium-edexcel-gcse-maths

O N Q is a sector of a circle with centre O and radius 11 cm.

A is the point on O N and B is the point on O Q such that A O B is an equilateral triangle of side 7 cm.

Calculate the area of the shaded region as a percentage of the area of the sector O N Q.
Give your answer correct to 1 decimal place.

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4
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4 marks

The diagram shows a square A B C D inside a circle.

q10-4-6-medium-edexcel-gcse-maths

The points A comma space B comma space C and D lie on the circle.

The radius of the circle is 6 cm.

Work out the total area of the shaded regions.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

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5
Sme Calculator
4 marks

The diagram shows a logo made from three circles.

q11-4-6-medium-edexcel-gcse-maths

Each circle has centre O.
Daisy says that exactly 1 third of the logo is shaded.

Is Daisy correct?
You must show all your working.

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6
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3 marks
q12-4-6-medium-edexcel-gcse-maths

The arc A B C is a quarter of a circle with centre O and radius 4.8 cm.
A C is a chord of the circle.

Work out the area of the shaded segment.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

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7
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3 marks
q13-4-6-medium-edexcel-gcse-maths

O A B is a sector of a circle, centre O.
O C D is a sector of a circle, centre O.
O C A and O D B are straight lines.

Angle A O B space equals space 75 degree
O D space equals space 6 space cm space
D B space equals space 4 space cm

Calculate the perimeter of the shaded region.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

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8
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5 marks
q14-4-6-medium-edexcel-gcse-maths

A comma space B and C are points on a circle of radius 5 cm, centre O.
D A and D C are tangents to the circle.
D O space equals space 9 space cm

Work out the length of arc A B C.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

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9
Sme Calculator
5 marks
~35-_5Zr_q9-4-6-medium-edexcel-gcse-maths

O A C is a sector of a circle, centre O, radius 10 m.

B A is the tangent to the circle at point A.
B C is the tangent to the circle at point C.

Angle A O C equals space 120 degree

Calculate the area of the shaded region.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

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10
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5 marks

The diagram shows a shaded shape space A B C D spacemade from a semicircle space A B C spaceand a right-angled triangle A C D.

q11-4ma1-2h-qp-jan20-paper2-igcse-maths

A C spaceis the diameter of the semicircle A B C.

Work out the perimeter of the shaded shape.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

....................cm

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11
Sme Calculator
5 marks

AOB is a sector of a circle, centre O and radius 6cm.
The length of arc AB is 5 straight picm.

q12-paper5-nov2018-ocr-gcse-maths

Find the area of the sector.
Give your answer in terms of straight pi.

......................... cm2

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12
Sme Calculator
5 marks

The diagram shows a semi-circle inside a rectangle of
length 120 m.
The semi-circle touches the rectangle at A, B and C.

q6-paper4-june2017-ocr-gcse-maths

Calculate the perimeter of the shaded region.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

...................................................... m

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13
Sme Calculator
4 marks

Four pencils are held together with a band.
The figure below shows the bottom end of the pencils and the band.

q18-paper4-spec2015-ocr-gcse-maths

Each of the pencils has diameter 9 mm.
Find the length of the band in this position.

............................ mm

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1
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4 marks

Here are two watch faces, A and B.

q1-4-6-very-hard-edexcel-gcse-maths

Both watch faces are circular with radius 2cm.

The materials used to make both watch faces have the same thickness.

A is made entirely of plastic.
B has a 20° sector of metal and a 340° sector of plastic.

The ratio of the cost per cm2 of the metal to the cost per cm2 of the plastic is 3 : 2

Work out the ratio of the cost of the materials for A to the cost of the materials for B.
Give your answer in its simplest form.
You must show all your working.

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2
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5 marks

In the diagram, A B C is a right-angled triangle and D E F is a semicircular arc.

q9-4ma1-2hr-qp-jan22-paper2-igcse-maths

In triangle A B C

B C space equals space 24 space cm

angle space A B C space equals space 90 degree 

angle space B C A space equals space 30 degree

The points D and F lie on A C so that D F is the diameter of the semicircular arc D E F
The radius of the semicircular arc is 3cm.

Work out the length of A F E D C
Give your answer correct to 2 significant figures.

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3
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6 marks

The diagram shows a sector O B C of a circle with centre O and radius left parenthesis 6 space plus space x right parenthesis space cm.

q22-4ma1-2h-qp-jan21-paper2-igcse-maths

A is the point on O B and D is the point on O C such that O A space equals space O D space equals space 6 space cm

Angle B O C space equals space 50 degree Given that

the perimeter of sector O B C space equals space 2 cross timesthe perimeter of triangle O A D

find the value of x.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

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4
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5 marks

A comma space B and C are points on a circle with centre O.

q20-4ma1-2hr-qp-jan21-paper2-igcse-maths

Angle A B C space equals space 75 degree

The area of the shaded segment is 200cm2

Calculate the radius of the circle.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

...................................................... cm

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5
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6 marks

The diagram shows two circles such that the region bold R, shown shaded in the diagram, is the region common to both circles.

q25-4ma1-1h-qp-june21-paper1-igcse-maths

One of the circles has centre O and radius 5cm.
The other circle has centre P and radius 4 cm.
Angle A O B space equals space 50 degree

Calculate the area of region bold R.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

...................................................... cm2

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6
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6 marks

Here is a sector, A O B , of a circle with centre space O spaceand angle space A O B spacex degree

q26-4ma1-2h-qp-jan20-paper2-igcse-maths

The sector can form the curved surface of a cone by joining space O A spaceto O B .

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The height of the cone is 25 space cm.
The volume of the cone is 1600 space cm cubed

Work out the value of x.
Give your answer correct to the nearest whole number.

x space equals space.......................

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7
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6 marks
q22-paper2hr-jan2019-edexcel-igcse-maths

O P Q is a sector of a circle, centre O
O A B is a sector of a circle, centre O

A space is space the space point space on space O P space such space that space O A space colon space A P space equals space 3 colon 2 space
B space is space the space point space on space O Q space such space that space O B space colon space B Q space equals space 3 colon 2
Angle P O Q space equals space 45 degree

The area of the shaded region is 81 over 2 pi space cm squared Work out the perimeter of the shaded region.
Give your answer in terms of pi.

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8
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6 marks

The diagram shows a sector O A P B of a circle, centre O

q19-paper2hr-june2019-edexcel-igcse-maths

A B is a chord of the circle.

Anglespace A O B space equals space 80 degree

The area of sector O A P B is 25 over 2 space straight pi space cm squared

Work out the perimeter of the shaded segment.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

......................cm

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9
Sme Calculator
4 marks

The vertices of a regular hexagon lie on a circle with centre O and radius 5 cm

q27-paper-1h-nov-2021-aqa-gcse-maths

Work out the shaded area.
Give your answer in the form fraction numerator a pi minus b square root of c over denominator 12 end fraction where a comma space b and c are integers.

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10
Sme Calculator
4 marks

Here are a circle and a sector of the circle.

They each have radius r.

q26-paper-1h-nov-2019-aqa-gcse-maths

circumference of circle = perimeter of sector

Work out the size of angle x.

Give your answer in terms of straight pi.

...................................degrees

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11
Sme Calculator
5 marks

A motor racing circuit consists of

   two parallel straight sections, each of length 0.75 km
   a semicircle of diameter 0.9 km
   three equal, smaller semicircles.

q9-paper-3h-nov-2018-aqa-gcse-maths

The length of a motor race must be greater than 305 km

What is the lowest number of full laps needed at this circuit?
You must show your working.

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12
Sme Calculator
5 marks

Here is a tunnel for a toy train.

q18-1-paper-1h-june-2018-aqa-gcse-maths

The diagram below shows the cross section of the tunnel.

q18-2-paper-1h-june-2018-aqa-gcse-maths

A D is a semicircular arc of radius 10 cm
B C is a semicircular arc of radius 7 cm
The length of the tunnel is 30 cm

Work out the total area of all six faces of the tunnel.
Give your answer in terms of pi.

....................cm2

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13
Sme Calculator
5 marks

The cross section of an earring is a semicircle, centre C, radius 25 mm
The earring is black and white.

The shaded area is black.

q22-paper2h-nov2017-aqa-gcse-maths

Sector B C D is white and has radius 12 mm

q5

Is more than 20% of the semicircle white?

You must show your working.

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14
Sme Calculator
5 marks

The diagram shows a logo.

A B E and D C E are congruent triangles.
B C E is a sector of a circle, centre E.

q25-paper2h-june2017-aqa-gcse-maths

Show that the area of the logo is 510 cm2 to 2 significant figures.

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15
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6 marks

The diagram shows a shape ABCDE.
The shape is made from a rectangle, a right-angled triangle and a quarter of a circle.

q7-paper4-june2019-ocr-gcse-maths

F is the mid-point of BD.
AE = 18 m and the perpendicular distance from C to AE is 41 m.

Work out the perimeter of the shape ABCDE.

....................................................... m

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16
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6 marks

OAB is a sector of a circle, centre O.

OA = 6 cm and AX is perpendicular to OB.

q15-paper5-june2019-ocr-gcse-maths

The area of sector OAB is 6picm2.
Show that AX = 3 square root of 3 cm.

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17
Sme Calculator
5 marks

A, B, C and D are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.

q8-paper4-june2018-ocr-gcse-maths

Angle CAD = 28° and CD = 6.4cm.
BD is a diameter of the circle.

Calculate the area of the circle.

...................... cm2

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18
Sme Calculator
3 marks

Three identical small circles are drawn inside one large circle, as shown in the diagram.
The centres of the small circles lie on the diameter of the large circle.

q12-paper5-spec2015-ocr-gcse-maths

Find the fraction of the large circle that is shaded.

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