Explanation
Correct answer: A.
Choice A is correct. When a square is inscribed in a circle, a diagonal of the square is a diameter of the circle. It's given that a square is inscribed in a circle and the length of a radius of the circle is inches. Therefore, the length of a diameter of the circle is inches, or inches. It follows that the length of a diagonal of the square is inches. A diagonal of a square separates the square into two right triangles in which the legs are the sides of the square and the hypotenuse is a diagonal. Since a square has congruent sides, each of these two right triangles has congruent legs and a hypotenuse of length inches. Since each of these two right triangles has congruent legs, they are both - - triangles. In a - - triangle, the length of the hypotenuse is times the length of a leg. Let represent the length of a leg of one of these - - triangles. It follows that . Dividing both sides of this equation by yields . Therefore, the length of a leg of one of these - - triangles is inches. Since the legs of these two - - triangles are the sides of the square, it follows that the side length of the square is inches.
Desmos solution:
Note: The circle’s diameter is the square’s diagonal, so divide 2r by sqrt(2) to get the side length.
Enter in Desmos:
Reviewed and rewritten by CookSAT
Why the other choices are wrong
Choice B
Choice B is incorrect. This is the length of a radius, in inches, of the circle.
Choice C
Choice C is incorrect. This is the length of a diameter, in inches, of the circle.
Choice D
Choice D is incorrect and may result from conceptual or calculation errors.
Student discussion
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