Circumference of a Circle Calculator

1. Circumference of a circle formula
2. How to calculate the circumference of a circle?
3. Example: find the circumference of a circle
4. Practical application

    Circumference of a circle formula

The circumference of a circle is calculated using the formula: 2 x π x radius, where π is a mathematical constant, equal to about 3.14159. It was originally defined as the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter (see second formula below on why) and appears in many formulas in mathematics, physics, and everyday life.

In practical situations it is often easier to measure the diameter instead of the radius. If you know the diameter, it is 2 times the radius, so just divide by two, to get the radius, or use this formula: π x diameter.

The calculation result is in the unit in which you measured the circle radius or diameter.

    How to calculate the circumference of a circle?

Calculation is easy once you have measured the circle's radius or diameter, using the formulas above or, if you prefer the easier way - using our circumference of a circle calculator above. To make sure you are measuring the diameter correctly, it should be the biggest measurement you can get. If by moving the measurement instrument slightly you get a bigger diameter size, then go with that.

    Example: find the circumference of a circle

One needs to know just the radius or the diameter of a circle in order to calculate its circumference. If the radius is given, applying the formula is straightforward. For example, the circumference of a circle with a radius of 4 inches is simply 2 x 3.14159 x 4 = 25.13 inches.

If the diameter is given instead, first divide it by two, then repeat the above process. For example, if the diameter is 16 feet, then the radius is 16 / 2 = 8 feet. The circumference is therefore 2 x 3.14159 x 8 = 50.26 feet.

    Practical application

Circles are often used by architects for athletic tracks, recreational areas, buildings, and roundabouts. The famous Ferris-wheel is a circle. Circle-like parts, e.g. cylinders, tubes, gears, and others are used by engineers for making clocks, bikes, cars, trains, ships, planes, and even rockets. The invention of the wheel-cart was one of the transforming events in early human history. The number π has application in calculating important statistical distributions like the normal distribution (gaussian distribution).