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Inscribed angle calculator

Choose the intercepted arc that does not contain the vertex. Its central angle is twice the inscribed angle, including when the arc exceeds a semicircle.

Calculator

Inscribed angle
60
Central angle
120
Intercepted arc length
6.28319
Radius
3
Arc cases on this circle
Arc central angle (degrees)Inscribed angle (degrees)Arc length (m)
60.0000000030.000000003.14159265
120.0000000060.000000006.28318531
180.0000000090.000000009.42477796
240.00000000120.0000000012.56637061
300.00000000150.0000000015.70796327

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How this calculator works

Both endpoints of the arc and the angle vertex lie on the circle. Moving the vertex along the opposite arc leaves the inscribed angle unchanged. A minor intercepted arc produces an acute angle; a major arc produces an obtuse angle. The arc-case table illustrates both possibilities at the entered radius.

Formula

Inscribed angle α = θ/2; intercepted arc s = rθ = 2rα; r = s/(2α). Arc equations use radians.

Worked example

A 120° intercepted arc on a circle of radius 3 m has length 2π m and gives an inscribed angle of 60°. A semicircle gives a 90° inscribed angle.

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Frequently asked questions

Which of the two arcs do I enter?

Use the arc between the endpoints that avoids the angle vertex. Choosing the other arc gives the supplementary inscribed angle.

Can the central angle exceed 180°?

Yes. A reflex central angle describes a major intercepted arc and gives an obtuse inscribed angle.

Why is the full circle excluded?

At 360° the endpoints coincide. Three distinct points can no longer define the intended inscribed angle.

Sources

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