Arc Length Calculator

Arc Length Calculator

Calculate arc length, sector area, chord length, and the full circumference of a circle from radius and central angle.

Last updated: June 2026 | By Patchworkr Team

Circular Arc Solver

Live results update as you type

Radius needs a real number.

The calculator converts degrees to radians internally, because arc length and sector area formulas use radians.
Results
Enter a radius and angle to see the arc length.

What Is Arc Length?

Arc length is the distance along the curved edge of a circle. It is not the straight line between two points on the circle.

The key relationship is s = r * theta, where theta must be in radians.

That same angle also determines sector area and chord length, so the three values are linked.

Arc Length Formulas

Radians
s = r * theta
Degrees
s = (theta / 180) * pi * r
Sector Area
A = 0.5 * r^2 * theta
Chord Length
c = 2 * r * sin(theta / 2)

How to Calculate Arc Length

  1. Enter the circle radius.
  2. Enter the central angle in degrees or radians.
  3. Read the arc length and related outputs in the result panel.
  4. Use the helper formulas to cross-check your answer.

Worked Example

For a radius of 10 and a central angle of 60 deg, the angle in radians is pi / 3.

s = 10 * (pi / 3)
s = 10.4719755
Sector area = 52.3598776

The curved distance is about 10.47 units, which is exactly one sixth of the full circumference of a radius-10 circle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need radians?

The arc length formula uses radians because they connect angle directly to radius.

Can the angle be larger than 360 deg?

Yes, but the arc wraps around the circle more than once. The formula still works.

What if the radius is blank?

Blank input is invalid, so the calculator shows an error until you enter a value.

Does the chord length always stay shorter than the arc?

Yes. The straight chord is always shorter than or equal to the curved arc.

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