CIRCLE THEOREMS

TANGENTS
A straight line can intersect a circle in three possible ways.
It can be:
A DIAMETER

A TANGENT

A CHORD

B
O

O
B

A
2 points of
intersection

2 points of
intersection

1 point of
intersection

TANGENT PROPERTY 1

The angle between a

tangent and a radius is a
right angle.

TANGENT PROPERTY 2
B

The two tangents drawn

from a point P outside a
circle are equal in length.
AP = BP

Example
AP is a tangent to the circle.
a Calculate the length of OP.
P b Calculate the size of angle AOP.
c Calculate the shaded area.

B
O

x
8 cm

6 cm
A

a OP2 6 2 8 2
OP2 100
OP 10 cm

c Shaded area = area of OAP area of sector OAB

1
53.13

8 6
62
360
2

24 16.69
7.31 cm2 (3 s.f.)

8
6
8
x tan1
6
53.13o
AOP

b tan x

CHORDS AND SEGMENTS

A straight line joining two points on the circumference of a
circle is called a chord.
A chord divides a circle into two segments.

major segment

minor segment

SYMMETRY PROPERTIES OF CHORDS 1

The perpendicular line from the

centre of a circle to a chord bisects
the chord.

Note: Triangle AOB is isosceles.

SYMMETRY PROPERTIES OF CHORDS 2

AB = CD

If two chords AB and CD are the

same length then they will be the
same perpendicular distance from
the centre of the circle.

If AB = CD then OP = OQ.

Example

Find the value of x.

O
96

Triangle OAB is isosceles

because OA = OB (radii of circle)

So angle OBA = x.
x
A

2x 96 180
2x 84
x 42o

THEOREM 1

2x

The angle at the centre is

twice the angle at the
circumference.

Example

Find the value of x.

x

O
96o
Angle at centre
= 2 angle at circumference
96 2x
x 96 2
x 48o

Example

Find the value of x.

62o

O
x
Angle at centre
= 2 angle at circumference
x 2 62
x 124o

Example

Find the value of x.

O
84o
Angle at centre
= 2 angle at circumference
84 2x
x 84 2
x 42o

Example

Find the value of x.

104o

x
Oy
Angle at centre
= 2 angle at circumference
y 2 104
y 208
x 360 208
x 152o

THEOREM 2

An angle in a semi-circle
is always a right angle.

Example

58o

Find the value of x.

x
Angles in a semi-circle = 90o
and
angles in a triangle add up to 180o.
x 58 90 180
x 32o

THEOREM 3

x
Opposite angles of a
cyclic quadrilateral add
up to 180o.

x y 180o

Example

Find the values of x and y.

x

y
Opposite angles in a cyclic
quadrilateral add up to 180o.
75

132o

x 132 180
x 48o

y 75 180
y 105o

THEOREM 4

x
x

Angles from the same arc

in the same segment are
equal.

Example

Find the value of x.

39o
x

Angles from the same arc in the same

segment are equal.
x 39o