Pre-Calculus Arc Length, Linear/Angular Velocity Notes Name:
Arc Length:
Example 1: A circle has a radius of 4 inches. Find the length of the arc intercepted by a central
angle of 240°.
Example 2: Find
120°
4 in.
Example 3: Find the central angle (in radians and degrees) that is formed by a radius of 12 ft and
an arc length of 1 ft
Example 4: Find the distance between the cities. Assume that the Earth is a sphere of radius
0 miles and the cities are on the same longitude (one city is due north of the other).
Johannesburg, South Africa 2 °
Jerusalem, Israel 1°
Write a formula relating distance, rate and time:
Linear Speed:
Angular Speed:
Equivalent ratios:
Equivalent ratios: radians = °= revolution = circumference [ “units”]
Example 5: The second hand of a clock is 10 2 cm long. Find the linear speed of the tip of the
second hand in cm/s.
Example 6: A 1 - inch diameter tire on a car makes revolutions per second.
a. Find the angular speed of the tire in rad/sec b. Find the linear speed of the car in in/sec
Example 7: The circular blade on a saw has a diameter of 2 inches and rotates at 4 00
revolutions per minute.
a. Find the angular speed of the blade in rad/sec b. Find the linear speed of the saw
teeth (in ft/sec) as they contact the
wood being cut.
Example 8: A woman is riding a bicycle whose wheels are 0 inches in diameter. If the
wheels rotate at 1 0 rpm, find the speed at which she is traveling in mi/hr.
Pre-Calculus Arc Length, Linear/Angular Velocity Homework Worksheet
1. Find the length of the arc in the figure. 2. Find the length of arc in the figure.
100°
140°
3. Find the length of an arc that subtends [forms] a central angle of 45° in a circle of radius 10 m.
4. Find the length of an arc that subtends [forms] a central angle of 2 rad in a circle of radius 2 mi.
5. An arc of length 100 m subtends [forms] a central angle in a circle of radius 50 m. Find the
measure of in radians and degrees.
6. Find the radius of the circle if an arc of length 6 m on the circle subtends [forms] a central angle
of rad.
7. Memphis, TN and New Orleans, LA lie approximately on the same meridian (longitude line).
Memphis has a latitude 35°N and New Orleans has a latitude 30°N. Find the distance between
these cities if the radius of the earth is 3960 mi.
8. A radial saw has a blade with a 6-in radius. Suppose the blade spins at 1000 rpm.
a) Find the angular speed of the blade in rad/min.
b) Find the linear speed of the saw teeth in ft/sec.
9. The wheels of a car have a diameter of 22 in and are rotating at 600 rpm. Find the speed of the
car in mi/hr.
10. The earth rotates about its axis once every 23 h 56 min 4 s, and the radius of the earth is 3960 mi.
Find the linear speed of a point on the equator in mi/hr.
11. A wind machine used to generate electricity has blades that are 10 ft in length. The propeller is
rotating at 4 revolutions per second. Find the linear speed of the tips of the blades in ft/min.
12. The carousel at the county fair makes 3 revolutions per minute.
a) Find the linear speed in ft/sec of a person riding a horse that is 22.5 ft from the center.
b) The linear speed of the person on the inside of the carousel is 3.1 ft/sec. How far is this person
from the center?
c) How much faster is the rider on the outside going than the rider on the inside?
Answers:
1. 12 22 units 2. 1 20 units 3. m 4. 4 mi 5. 2 rad or 114 °
6. m or 11 4 m 7. 4 mi 8a. 2000 rad/min or 2 1 rad/min 8b. 2 ft/sec
9. 2 mph 10. 10 mph 11. 1 0 4 ft/min 12a. 0 ft/sec 12b. ft 12c. ft/sec
