Find the approximate area of the shaded region below, consisting of a square with a circle cut out of it. Use 3.14

as an approximation for pi
.

A diagram shows a square with a circle cut out of it. The circle touches all four sides of the square, so only the four corners of the square are shaded. The diameter of the circle is 20 feet.

1 answer

To find the area of the shaded region below, which consists of a square with a circle cut out of it, we can follow these steps:

  1. Find the area of the square: Since the diameter of the circle is 20 feet, the radius \( r \) of the circle is: \[ r = \frac{20}{2} = 10 \text{ feet} \] The side length of the square is equal to the diameter of the circle, which is 20 feet. Therefore, the area \( A_{\text{square}} \) of the square is: \[ A_{\text{square}} = (\text{side length})^2 = 20^2 = 400 \text{ square feet} \]

  2. Find the area of the circle: The area \( A_{\text{circle}} \) of the circle is given by the formula: \[ A_{\text{circle}} = \pi r^2 \] Substituting \( r = 10 \) feet and using \( \pi \approx 3.14 \): \[ A_{\text{circle}} = 3.14 \times (10)^2 = 3.14 \times 100 = 314 \text{ square feet} \]

  3. Find the area of the shaded region: The area of the shaded region is given by the area of the square minus the area of the circle: \[ A_{\text{shaded}} = A_{\text{square}} - A_{\text{circle}} = 400 - 314 = 86 \text{ square feet} \]

Thus, the approximate area of the shaded region is \( \boxed{86} \) square feet.