Major Arc
A major arc refers to a portion of a circle that measures more than 180 degrees
A major arc refers to a portion of a circle that measures more than 180 degrees. In other words, it is a curved segment that spans more than half of the circumference of a circle.
To understand major arcs, it is important to understand the concept of angles in a circle. A circle has 360 degrees in total. When we divide a circle into two equal parts, each part measures 180 degrees and is called a semicircle. Therefore, any arc that measures less than or equal to 180 degrees is considered a minor arc, while those that measure more than 180 degrees are major arcs.
To calculate the measure of a major arc, you need to subtract the measure of the associated minor arc from the total degrees in a circle, which is 360. So, if you have a major arc that measures 240 degrees, the corresponding minor arc would measure 120 degrees (360 – 240). Similarly, if you have a major arc with a measure of 320 degrees, the corresponding minor arc would measure 40 degrees (360 – 320).
Major arcs are frequently used in geometry and trigonometry to calculate the length and properties of circular objects or sections.
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