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If the radius of a circle is decreased by 50%, its area is reduced by:
33.33%
25%
75%
50%
75%
Use the successvie percentage change formula: a+b+100abтАЛ. Since radius decreases by 50% twice in area (r┬▓), change = тИТ50тИТ50+100(тИТ50├ЧтИТ50)тАЛ=тИТ100+25=тИТ75%.
Initial radius of circle r1тАЛ = r. The radius is decreased by 50%, so the new radius r2тАЛ = 0.5r.
A=╧Аr2
Use the successvie percentage change formula: a+b+100abтАЛ. Since radius decreases by 50% twice in area (r┬▓), change = тИТ50тИТ50+100(тИТ50├ЧтИТ50)тАЛ=тИТ100+25=тИТ75%.
Students often mistakenly assume that a 50% decrease in radius results in a 50% or 33.33% decrease in area, forgetting that area depends on the square of the radius.
Define Initial Area
Let the original radius be r. The initial area is A1тАЛ=╧Аr2.
A1тАЛ=╧Аr2
Define New Radius
Since the radius is decreased by 50%, the new radius r2тАЛ is rтИТ0.5r=0.5r.
r2тАЛ=0.5r
Calculate New Area
The new area A2тАЛ=╧А(0.5r)2=╧А(0.25r2)=0.25╧Аr2.
A2тАЛ=0.25A1тАЛ
Calculate Percentage Decrease
The reduction in area is A1тАЛтИТA2тАЛ=A1тАЛтИТ0.25A1тАЛ=0.75A1тАЛ. Expressed as a percentage, this is 0.75├Ч100%=75%.
Reduction=75%
C is correct because a 50% decrease in radius results in the new area being 25% of the original, which corresponds to a 75% reduction.
This logic applies to any square-based relationship; for example, if the side of a square is halved, its area also decreases by 75%.