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Problem of the Week

Problem E and Solution
No Overlaps!
Problem

A and B lie on the circumference of the circle with centre O, radius 2, and
AOB = 90 . Another circle, with diameter AB is drawn. O lies on the
circumference of this second circle. Determine the area of the shaded region
in the diagram. That is, determine the area of the region that is in either
circle, but not in both.

Solution

A2

Label the region inside the larger circle but outside the smaller circle as A1 .
Label the region inside the smaller circle but outside the larger circle as A2 .
Label the region inside sector AOB but outside of 4AOB as A3 .
We need to calculate A1 + A2 .

A1

First, we will calculate A3 .

90
= 14 the area of the larger circle.
Since AOB = 90 , the area of sector AOB is 360
That is, the area of sector AOB is 41 (2)2 = .
The area of 4AOB is 12 (OA)(OB) = 12 (2)(2) = 2.
Therefore, A3 = area sector AOB area 4AOB = ( 2).
Next we will calculate A2 .

Since AOB = 90
, the Pythagorean
theorem tells us AB 2 = OA2 + OB 2 = 22 + 22 = 8.

Therefore, AB = 8 = 2 2, since AB > 0.

Since AB is a diameter of the smaller circle, the radius is 12 AB = 12 2 2 = 2.

Therefore, A2 + A3 = 12 (the area of the circle with radius 2) = 12 ( 2)2 = 12 (2) = .

Therefore, A2 = A3 = ( 2) = 2.
Finally, we will calculate A1 .
A1 represents the area inside the larger circle which is not in the smaller circle.
The larger circle has radius 2
and area (2)2
= 4.
The smaller circle has radius 2 and area ( 2)2 = 2.
1
A1 = (area larger circle) (area smaller circle) A3
2
1
= 4 (2) ( 2)
2
= 4 + 2
= 2 + 2
Therefore, the area of the shaded region is A1 + A2 = (2 + 2) + 2 = (2 + 4) units2 .

A3