A circle is inscribed in a square of side 54 cms and another circle circumscribes the same square. Then the ratio of circumferences of the bigger circle to the smaller circle is
Aptitude
Area
Difficulty: Medium
Choose an option
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A$1 : \sqrt{2}$
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B$\sqrt{2} : 1$
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C$\sqrt{3} : 1$
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DNone of these
Answer
Correct Answer: $\sqrt{2} : 1$
Explanation
### Concept & Incircle and Circumcircle of a Square
The radius of an inscribed circle (incircle) is half the side of the square. The radius of a circumscribed circle (circumcircle) is half the diagonal of the square.
The ratio of circumferences is exactly the ratio of their radii.
### Step-by-Step Solution
* Given: Side of the square $a = 54$ cm.
* Radius of the smaller inscribed circle $r = \frac{a}{2} = 27$ cm.
* Diagonal of the square is $a\sqrt{2} = 54\sqrt{2}$ cm.
* Radius of the bigger circumscribed circle $R = \frac{a\sqrt{2}}{2} = 27\sqrt{2}$ cm.
* The ratio of their circumferences is $\frac{2\pi R}{2\pi r} = \frac{R}{r}$.
* Substituting the values: $\frac{27\sqrt{2}}{27} = \sqrt{2} : 1$.
### Exam Strategy & Shortcut
For ANY square, the ratio of the circumcircle's radius to the incircle's radius is always $\sqrt{2} : 1$. The numerical side length (54 cm) is extra information designed to slow you down. The ratio of circumferences is directly $\sqrt{2} : 1$.
### Common Pitfall
Students often calculate the numerical values of the circumferences before finding the ratio, which is time-consuming and introduces calculation errors. Cancel constants early!
### Final Answer
Therefore, the correct answer is **$\sqrt{2} : 1$**.