CIRCLE THEOREMS

TANGENTS

A straight line can intersect a circle in three possible ways.

It can be:

A DIAMETER A CHORD A TANGENT

B
O O O
B
A
A A

2 points of 2 points of 1 point of

intersection intersection intersection
TANGENT PROPERTY 1

The angle between a

tangent and a radius is a
O right angle.

A
TANGENT PROPERTY 2

ΙΙ

O
P

ΙΙ
The two tangents drawn
from a point P outside a
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.
B c Calculate the shaded area.
O
x
8 cm 8
6 cm
a OP2  6 2  8 2 b tan x 
6
OP2  100
8
A OP  10 cm x  tan1  
6
  53.13o
AOP

c Shaded area = area of ΔOAP – area of sector OAB

1   53.13 
  8  6      62 
2   360 
 24  16.69
 7.31 cm2 (3 s.f.)
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
O the chord.

ΙΙ ΙΙ Note: Triangle AOB is isosceles.

A B
SYMMETRY PROPERTIES OF CHORDS 2

AB = CD
D
ΙΙ
Q
ΙΙ If two chords AB and CD are the
C same length then they will be the
Ι

O same perpendicular distance from

the centre of the circle.
Ι

ΙΙ ΙΙ If AB = CD then OP = OQ.
A P B
Example
Find the value of x.

O
Triangle OAB is isosceles
o
96 because OA = OB (radii of circle)
So angle OBA = x.
x B
2x  96  180
A
2x  84
x  42o
THEOREM 1

The angle at the centre is

twice the angle at the
O circumference.

2x
Example
Find the value of x.
x

96o

Angle at centre
= 2 × angle at circumference
96  2x
x  96  2
x  48o
Example
Find the value of x.

62o

Angle at centre
= 2 × angle at circumference
x  2  62
x  124o
Example
Find the value of x.

O
x
84o

Angle at centre
= 2 × angle at circumference
84  2x
x  84  2
x  42o
Example
Find the value of x.
104o

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.
O
Example
Find the value of x.

58o O x

Angles in a semi-circle = 90o

and
angles in a triangle add up to 180o.

x  58  90  180
x  32o
THEOREM 3

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

y
Example
Find the values of x and y.
x

Opposite angles in a cyclic

quadrilateral add up to 180o.

75 o 132o
x  132  180 y  75  180
x  48o y  105o
THEOREM 4

x
Angles from the same arc
in the same segment are
equal.
x
Example
Find the value of x.

39o

Angles from the same arc in the same

segment are equal.

x  39o