Finding the Center and

the Radius of a Circle

Given the Equation
 Objectives:
1. find the coordinates of the center of the circle
and its radius given the equation; and
2. solve real life problems involving the
equation of a circle.
THINK OF
THIS!
A bank of lights is arranged over a stage. Each
light illuminates a circular area on the stage. A
coordinate plane is used to arrange the lights,
using the corner of stage as the origin. The
equation (x - 13)2 + (y - 4)2 = 16 represents one
of the disks of light.
Three actors are located as follows:
Henry is at (11, 4)
Jolene is at (8, 5)
Martin is at (15, 5)
Which actors are in the disk of light?
Let us find the center and radius of a circle by
considering some examples.
1. Find the center and the radius of the circle
Based on the standard form of the equation of a circle when the center is at the
origin, it is represented by
The given equation of the circle can be expressed as
.
Thus, the center is (0,0) and the radius is 3.
2. Find the center and the radius of the circle
Based on the standard form of the equation of a circle when the center is not at the
origin, it is represented by
The given equation of the circle can be expressed as

Thus, the center is (6,-3) and the radius is 7.

Let us consider some examples.
3. Determine the center and radius of 0
Solution:
 Express the given equation in standard form that is
.
 Apply the technique of completing the square.
𝟐 𝟐
𝐱 +𝟔 𝐱 + 𝐲 −𝟖 𝐲 =−𝟗
( )+( )=9-9 + 16 9 + 16

¿
 Express in standard form.
𝟐 𝟐 𝟐
( 𝒙 +𝟑) +( 𝒚 −𝟒) =𝟒
𝑨𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓 : 𝑪 ( − 𝟑 , 𝟒 ) , 𝒓 =𝟒
Let us consider some examples.
3. Determine the center and radius of 0
Alternative Solution:
The general form of the equation of a circle is
where
Solve for h: Solve for k: Solve for r:

9
3 9

The center of a circle is .

Therefore the center is

Let us consider some examples.
4. Find the center and the radius of the circle
Solution:
 Divide each term by the coefficient of x and y or multiply to each term.
𝟐 𝟐
𝟒 𝒙 +𝟒 𝒚 −𝟒 𝒙 −𝟐𝟎 𝒚 −𝟏𝟎 𝟎 o
=
𝟒 𝟒 r
 Apply the technique of completing the square to express the equation in
standard
𝟐
form.
𝟐 𝟏𝟎
𝐱 − 𝐱+ 𝐲 − 𝟓 𝐲=

¿ 𝟏
𝟒
𝟐𝟓𝟒
𝟒
𝟏𝟐𝟓
𝟒𝟒

𝟐 𝟐
1
2
5
2 𝟏 𝟓 𝟐
(𝑥− ) +( 𝑦 − ) = 9 ( 𝒙 − ) +( 𝒚 − ) = 𝟑
2 2 𝟐 𝟐 C () ,
 Let us consider some examples.
4. Find the center and the radius of the circle
Alternative Solution:
 Divide each term by the coefficient of x and y or multiply to each term.
𝟐 𝟐
𝟒 𝒙 +𝟒 𝒚 −𝟒 𝒙 −𝟐𝟎 𝒚 −𝟏𝟎 𝟎
= or
𝟒 𝟒
𝟏𝟎
𝐱𝟐 + 𝐲 𝟐 − 𝐱 − 𝟓 𝐲 − =𝟎
𝟒
 The general form of the equation of a circle is
where
Solve for r:
Solve for h: Solve for k:

The center of a circle is .

Therefore the center is
 Activity 1
Find the center and radius of the given circles.

𝑬𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑪𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑹𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒖𝒔

𝟐 𝟐
𝒙 +𝒚 =𝟑𝟔
𝟐 𝟐
( 𝒙 − 𝟗) + 𝒚 =𝟐𝟎

( )
𝟐
𝟐 𝟐
𝒙 + 𝒚− =𝟔𝟒
𝟑

¿
 Activity 1
Find the center and radius of the given circles.
𝟐 𝟐
𝒙 + 𝒚 + 𝟒 𝒙 −𝟖 𝒚 +𝟏𝟗=𝟎
𝒙 𝟐+ 𝒚 𝟐 −𝟔 𝒙 +𝟏𝟎 𝒚 +𝟗=𝟎
𝟐 𝟐
𝒙 + 𝒚 + 𝟏𝟒 𝒚 = 𝟎
𝟐 𝟐
𝟒 𝒙 +𝟒 𝒚 +𝟖 𝒙 −𝟑𝟐 𝒚 +𝟒=𝟎
𝟐 𝟐
𝒙 + 𝒚 −𝟒 𝒙 −𝟒 𝒚 +𝟖=𝟎
𝟐 𝟐
𝒙 + 𝒚 + 𝟖 𝒙 +𝟐 𝒚 +𝟏𝟖=𝟎
 Take Note!
Find the center and radius of the given circles.

The equation does not

describe a circle. It is
merely a point because
r = 0.

𝒙 𝟐+ 𝒚 𝟐 −𝟒 𝒙 −𝟒 𝒚 +𝟖=𝟎 C ( 2, 2 ) r=0

The equation
describes an
imaginary circle
𝟐 𝟐 because the radius is
𝒙 + 𝒚 + 𝟖 𝒙 +𝟐 𝒚 +𝟏𝟖=𝟎 C ( -4, -1 ) r= nonreal.