# Math Help - for what value of c will the circle with equation x^2+6x+y^2-4y+c=0 have a radius of

1. ## for what value of c will the circle with equation x^2+6x+y^2-4y+c=0 have a radius of

for what value of c will the circle with equation x^2+6x+y^2-4y+c=0 have a radius of 4?

2. ## Re: for what value of c will the circle with equation x^2+6x+y^2-4y+c=0 have a radius

Originally Posted by vegasgunner
for what value of c will the circle with equation $x^{2}+6x+y^{2}-4y+c=0$ have a radius of 4?
The center of the circle is found by comparison. It is $(g=-3,f=2)$

The Radius can be found from an equation of a general formula by $R=\sqrt{g^{2}+f^{2}-c}$

Therefore, the reverse can be found by inputting $R=4$ into $4=\sqrt{g^{2}+f^{2}-c}$

Since we know the center, we input $g$ and $f$ into the above, and get: $4=\sqrt{(-3)^{2}+2^{2}-c}$

Solving for $c$, we get $16=9+4-c$ which gives a value for $c$ of $c=3$

3. ## Re: for what value of c will the circle with equation x^2+6x+y^2-4y+c=0 have a radius

Comparison with the general equation of a circle, which is $x^{2}+y^{2}+2gx+2fy+c=0$ where $(-g,-f)$ is the center of the circle, and the radius is per my previous post. When posting formulas, I think it's neater if you arranged them by powers before variables.

4. ## Re: for what value of c will the circle with equation x^2+6x+y^2-4y+c=0 have a radius

Originally Posted by vegasgunner
for what value of c will the circle with equation x^2+6x+y^2-4y+c=0 have a radius of 4?
Transform the equation to $x^2+6x+9+y^2-4y+4=-c+9+4$.

Now make $-c+9+4=16$