Dictionary Definition
The Oxford English Dictionary defines the radius as "a straight line from the centre of a circle to its circumference, all such lines being equal in length."Examples of the Radius
The circle below has a radius of 5 cm. This is the length from the centre of the circle to any point on the circle.
The circle below has a radius of 8 ft.
How to Find the Radius
The radius of a circle is related to its diameter, circumference and area.How to Find the Radius from the Diameter
The radius is half of the diameter. If the radius is r and the diameter is d (as shown in the image below), then we can find the radius using the formula:
how to find the radius from the diameter
How to Find the Radius from the Circumference
The radius is the circumference divided by 2π. If the radius is r and the circumference is C (as shown in the image below), then we can find the radius using the formula:
how to find the radius from the circumference
How to Find the Radius from the Area
The radius is the square root of the area divided by π. If the radius is r and the area is A (as shown in the image below), then we can find the radius using the formula:
how to find the radius from the area
Interactive Widget
Here is an interactive widget to help you learn about the radius.What Is a Circle?
A circle is a shape containing a set of points that are the same radius from the center of the circle.1 Radius, 2 Radii
The plural of radius is radiuses or radii.Radius of a Sphere
A circle is not the only shape that has a radius. A sphere also has a radius. The radius of a sphere is the line segment from the center of the sphere to any point on the surface of the sphere. The image below shows what we mean by the radius of a sphere. It is labelled r:
When you know the radius of a sphere, you can find its volume and its surface area.
The Radius in Other Shapes
The radius appears in other shapes that are not obviously related to circles, for example the cone and cylinder. But if you were to cut through a cone or cylinder, the cross-section would be a circle, which has a radius. The base of both shapes is a circle. The radius of the base (as shown in the image below) is labelled r:
When you know the radius, you can find the volume and surface areas of the shape.
This page was written by Stephen Clarke.
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