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Is a semicircle a major arc, a minor arc, or neither?

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ET

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Mar 28, 2008, 11:42:04 PM3/28/08
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I need to write a 5-10 paragraph essay on the topic: is a semicircle a major arc or a minor arc and I'm not sure , but I think it's neither. Please let me know is you can help me. THANKS

David W.Cantrell

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Mar 29, 2008, 11:52:24 AM3/29/08
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ET <boy...@sysmatrix.net> wrote:
> I need to write a 5-10 paragraph essay on the topic: is a semicircle a
> major arc or a minor arc and I'm not sure , but I think it's neither.

It depends simply on what definitions are used. If we use the definitions
given at MathWorld, for example, then a semicircle is _both_ a major and a
minor arc.

<http://mathworld.wolfram.com/MajorArc.html>

David

dillon

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Apr 1, 2008, 10:06:54 AM4/1/08
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I agree with David. Also Emily if you look in your geometry book on page 756 it says the measure of a minor arc is equal to the measure of its central angle. A straight angle is an angle. also a major arc is equal to 360 minus a minor arc, 180, which gives you 180. So it is both.
PS It's 5-10 sentence essay not paragraph.
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