Geometry and measurement

Chord length calculator

Chord length is the straight distance between arc endpoints.

Your numbers

Use the units shown. Results update as you change valid inputs.

YOUR RESULT

Chord length is the straight distance between arc endpoints.

THE NUMBERS, EXPLAINED

How to use this calculator.

Chord length is the straight distance between arc endpoints.

Start with your inputs

Enter radius, central angle (degrees). Keep amounts in the units shown on each field. The example is a starting point, not a recommended value.

InputExample value
Radius5
Central angle (degrees)60

A worked example

With the example inputs above, chord length is 5. Change the inputs to explore your own scenario.

Putting the example numbers into the formula

Chord length
2 × (5) × sin((60) × π ÷ 360) = 5

All results for the example inputs above
ResultExample answer
Chord length5

How this is calculated

Chord length

2 × a × sin(b × π ÷ 360)

Symbols and units
a
Radius
b
Central angle (degrees)

Use the units shown. A list keeps the order in which you enter its values. The symbol ^ means “raised to the power of”.

Calculation steps and notation

sin uses an angle in radians. Convert degrees by multiplying by π/180.

π is the circle constant, approximately 3.141592653589793.

Assumptions and limits

Chord length is the straight distance between arc endpoints.

Calculations use the values you enter. Blank or invalid inputs show an error instead of silently substituting zero. Results are displayed to useful precision; calculations retain the underlying numeric precision.

Questions about this tool

What does the result tell me?

Chord length. The result applies to the method and inputs described above. Check the units and assumptions before using it in a decision.

Why might another calculator differ?

Differences in units, rounding, timing or model definitions can produce different answers. Compare the input definitions and the method, rather than only the final number. For this tool: Chord length is the straight distance between arc endpoints.

Are my inputs stored or sent to AI?

Calculations on this page happen in your browser. The separate AI question finder sends its submitted conversation to OpenAI; these calculator fields are not sent. Favourites and recent tool names are stored locally. A shared link contains the inputs you choose to include.

Further reading

OpenStax: Prealgebra ↗

Background reading; this does not imply endorsement or independent review of SumFizz.

Review status

Software example and browser checks are recorded in our quality report. No external expert review is claimed. Created with coding assistance; calculations run as ordinary browser code.

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