Question

Which of the following is/are valid Python syntax to return the correct answer for the area of the circle?

a) area = pi * r²
b) area = math.pi * r²
c) area = pi * r²
d) area = 2 * math.pi * r

Answer 1

The valid Python syntax for calculating the area of a circle is 'area = math.pi * r ** 2'. This formula applies the mathematical constant pi and squares the radius; the '**' operator is used for exponentiation in Python.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the area of a circle, the correct Python syntax would be area = math.pi * r * r, where r represents the radius of the circle. It must be noted that in Python, the exponentiation operator is **, not ², so the correct expression for the area considering the exponent would be area = math.pi * r ** 2. The option area = 2 * math.pi * r corresponds to the calculation of the circumference of the circle, not the area. Remember, it's important to import the math module in your Python script to access the math.pi constant. Also, when dealing with significant figures, make sure the final answer aligns with the precision of the given measurements.