# Math Help - Elementary Algebra Help please

1. ## Elementary Algebra Help please

How so I figure out this equation? I am studing to go back to school and this is one of the questions I just dont remember how to do.

I have a small circle inside a large circle with space inbetween them. Both circles have the same center, and the radius of the larger circle is R. if the radius of the smaller circle is 3 units less than R, which of the following represents the area of the shaded region (the space inbetween the small and big circle)

answer is: pie signRpower of 2 - pie sign(R-3)power of 2

if you can understand that - please help me do the same. how did that get that and why is it written like that?

2. Well, when you have a shape inside of a shape, the area of the region outside of the inner shape is almost always:

$A_{shaded} = A_{outer} - A_{inner}$

So, we know that:

$Radius_{outer} = R$

$Radius_{inner} = R - 3$

We also know that the area of a circle is:

$A = \pi r^2$

So, therefore:

$A_{outer} = \pi R^2$

$A_{inner} = \pi (R - 3)^2$

And we get:

$A_{shaded} = A_{outer} - A_{inner} = (\pi R^2) - [\pi (R - 3)^2]$

Basically, say you have a paper circle of radius R, and you cut out a smaller circle of radius R - 3, you are left with the shaded region you described. It therefore makes sense that all you do is take the area of the larger circle and subtract, or take away, the area of the smaller circle to get the desired area.

Hopefully this helps.

3. ## thanks for the help.

thanks for your help. That made sense once I read it. I just had to be reminded. Thanks for that help ALOT. Appreciate it.