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The circle's area is what percentage of the square's?

A normal-level "Area" problem.When a question asks for a percentage, try writing the side as a letter. Common factors cancel, and the answer often turns out not to depend on size at all.

GivenA circle fits exactly inside a square of side 10 cm / π = 3.14

Area ★★★☆☆☆ The circle's area is what percentage of the square's? 10cm ? %

Hints

  1. The square's area is 10 × 10 = 100 cm². Straightforward.
  2. The circle fits exactly, so its diameter equals the side, 10 cm. The radius is half of that, 5 cm, giving 5 × 5 × 3.14 = 78.5 cm².
  3. The ratio is 78.5 ÷ 100 = 0.785, that is 78.5%. But do not stop here.
  4. Try a smaller square. Call the side □: the square is □ × □ and the circle is (□÷2) × (□÷2) × ' + pi + '. The □ cancels out, so the ratio does not depend on □ at all.
  5. Tidied up it is just 3.14 ÷ 4. Any circle snug inside a square covers 78.5% of it, always — which is why a square pizza box always wastes about 21.5% of its floor.

Answer 78.5%

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