To find the radius of a pipe, the most common method is to divide the pipe's diameter by 2. This is based on the fundamental relationship between radius and diameter in any circle (including the cross-section of a pipe).
Here's a breakdown:
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Definition of Radius: The radius is the distance from the center of a circle to any point on its circumference.
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Definition of Diameter: The diameter is the distance across a circle, passing through the center. It's twice the length of the radius.
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Formula:
Radius (r) = Diameter (d) / 2
Example:
If you measure the diameter of a pipe and find it to be 10 inches, the radius would be:
Radius = 10 inches / 2 = 5 inches
Therefore, the radius of the pipe is 5 inches.
Alternatively, if you know the circumference (distance around the pipe), you can calculate the radius.
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Circumference Formula:
Circumference (C) = 2 * π * Radius (r)where π (pi) is approximately 3.14159. -
Rearranging to solve for Radius:
Radius (r) = Circumference (C) / (2 * π)
Example:
If the circumference of a pipe is 31.4159 inches, then the radius would be:
Radius = 31.4159 inches / (2 * 3.14159) = 5 inches
Therefore, the radius of the pipe is 5 inches.
In summary, the easiest way to find the radius of a pipe is to divide its diameter by 2. If the diameter isn't directly measurable, you can calculate the radius from the circumference using the formula Radius = Circumference / (2 * π).
