We draw a radius of a circle. We draw a second radius degrees clockwise from the first radius. We draw a third radius degrees clockwise from the second. This continues until we have drawn radii each degrees clockwise from the one before it. What is the measure in degrees of the smallest angle between any two of these radii?
Solution
1. Understanding the Problem:
We need to find the smallest angle between any two of the 40 radii drawn at 23-degree intervals on a circle.
2. Listing the Angles:
The angles where the radii are drawn can be listed as follows:
3. Finding the Smallest Angle:
To find the smallest angle between any two radii, we need to consider the differences between consecutive angles in the sorted list. The differences are:
4. Considering the Wrap-Around:
The last angle (177°) and the first angle (0°) also need to be considered. The difference between 177° and 0° is:
5. Conclusion:
The smallest angle between any two radii is the smallest difference in the list of differences, which is 23°.
The final answer is .
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