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Lesson 3 of 9

Straight across the middle

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4 min

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Lay a ruler across a glass bangle. Across the middle, the ruler shows the biggest number.

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The rule

Figure 1 — each half is one radius. Two radii make the diameter.

Go from the centre to the edge of the circle. That is one radius.

Continue through the centre to the other side. That is a second radius.

The whole line is the diameter. It is twice the radius.

Example

Radius 30 mm gives diameter 60 mm. The mm means millimetres.

Double the radius: 2 × 30 = 60 mm.

Diameter 70 mm gives radius 35 mm.

Divide the diameter by 2: 70 ÷ 2 = 35 mm.

Watch out!

An edge-to-edge line is a diameter only through the centre. A line that misses the centre is shorter.

Try the lab to finish this lesson.