Circle Properties

Part I

A circle is a set of all points in a plane that are the same distance from a fixed point in a plane

The set of points form the Circumference .

The line joining the centre of a circle and a point on the circumference is called Radius the.

A chord is a straight line segment joining two points on the circle

A chord that passes through the centre is a diameter .

secant A is a straight line that cuts the circle in two points

An arc is part of the circumference of a circle Major arc

Minor arc

sector A is part of the circle bounded by two radii and an arc

major sector

Minor sector

segment A is part of the circle bounded by a chord and an arc

major segment

Minor segment

The arc AB subtends an angle of at the centre of the circle. Subtends means to extend under or to be opposite to

A B

Instructions: Draw a circle

Draw two chords of equal length

Measure angles AOB and DOC
B

O A C D

What do you notice?

Equal chords subtend equal angles at the centre

Conversely Equal angles at the centre of a circle stand on equal arcs

Instructions: select an arc AB

subtend the arc AB to the centre O

subtend the arc AB to a point C on the circumference
Measure angles AOB and ACB C

What do you notice?

Instructions: select an arc AB

subtend the arc AB to the centre O

subtend the arc AB to a point C on the circumference
Measure angles AOB and ACB C

What do you notice?

The angle that an arc of a circle subtends at the centre is twice the angle it subtends at the circumference

Instructions: select an arc AB select two points C, D on the circumference subtend the arc AB to a point C on the circumference
subtend the arc AB to a point D on the circumference Measure angles ACB and ADB

D C

A B

Instructions: select an arc AB select two points C, D on the circumference subtend the arc AB to a point C on the circumference
subtend the arc AB to a point D on the circumference Measure angles ACB and ADB

D C

What do you notice?

Angles subtended at the circumference by the same arc are equal

Instructions:

Draw a circle and its diameter

subtend the diameter to a point on the circumference Measure

ACB
C

What do you notice?

An angle in a semicircle is a right angle

Instructions: Draw a cyclic quadrilateral (the vertices of the quadrilateral lie on the circumference

Measure all four angles

What do you notice?

The opposite angles of a cyclic quadrilateral are supplementary

180-

180-

If the opposite angles of a quadrilateral are supplementary the quadrilateral is cyclic

180-

Instructions: Draw a cyclic quadrilateral Produce a side of the quadrilateral Measure angles and

If a side of a cyclic quadrilateral is produced, the exterior angle is equal to the interior opposite angle

Circle Properties

Part II

tangent properties

A tangent to a circle is a straight line that touches the circle in one point only

Tangent to a circle is perpendicular to the radius drawn from the point of contact.

Tangents to a circle from an exterior point are equal

When two circles touch, the line through their centres passes through their point of contact

External Contact Point of contact

When two circles touch, the line through their centres passes through their point of contact

Internal Contact

Point of contact

The angle between a tangent and a chord through the point of contact is equal to the angle in the alternate segment

The square of the length of the tangent from an external point is equal to the product of the intercepts of the secant passing through this point

B
C D
2
B=external point

BA =BC.BD

The square of the length of the tangent from an external point is equal to the product of the intercepts of the secant passing through this point

A
Note: B is the crucial point in the formula

B
C D
BA =BC.BD
2

Circle Properties

Chord properties

Triangle AXD is similar to triangle CXB hence

C A

D
B

AX.XB=CX.XD

Note: X is the crucial point in the formula

C A

D
B

AX.XB=CX.XD

Chord AB and CD intersect at X

Prove AX.XB=CX.XD

In AXD and CXB AXD = CXB DAX = BCX (Vertically Opposite Angles) (Angles standing on same arc)

X
ADX = CBX D

(Angles standing on same arc)

B
AXD CXB Hence

AX CX XD XB

(Equiangular )

AX.XB CX .XD

AAA test for similar triangles

A perpendicular line from the centre off a circle to a chord bisects the chord

Conversley: A line from the centre of a circle that bisects a chord is perpendicular to the chord

Equal chords are equidistant from the centre of the circle

Conversley: Chords that are equidistant from the centre are equal

Quick Quiz

a= 40
40

40

b= 80
C

d
60 C

d= 120

55 C

f= 55

m= 62
62 m C

e= 90
C

12 cm

x= 12
102 C 102

x cm

k= 35
C 70

a= 50
120

10

x= 50
C 100

y
C

y= 55
35

Quick Quiz

A
105

Which quadrilateral is concyclic?

75

answer= A

110

C
100 20

140

60 C

c = 60

g= 90
C

4cm

h cm

h= 4
Tangent C

m =50
C

y = 50

40

50

a= 65
C

a
R

PQ, RQ are tangents

10

n
C 4

n= 5
nx8=4x10
8n =40 n =5

q= 25
C

4q=10

4q=100
4 10

q=25

BA =BC.BD

x= 12
4(4+x)=8
C

4(4+x)=64 4+x=16 x=12

k= 5
C

K2=32+42
k

K =5