CIRCLE THEOREMS

Circle Theorems
⚪ Identify a tangent to a circle
⚪ Find angles in circles
Tangents
Angles in a semicircle
Cyclic quadrilateral
Major and minor segments
Angles at the circumference/centre
Alternate segments
A Circle features…….

from
… the distance across
around
centre passing
the circle,
Circle… of the circle
Diameter to any point on the of
through the centre
circumference
…
theitscircle
PERIMETER
Radius
A Circle features…….

Minor Major
Segment Segment
C
AR

…… apart
a line
lineofwhich
the touches
joining two
d
the circumference
on the of aat
circumference
points
or
Ch

one point only

circle
circumference.

… chord divides circle

into two segments
Tan
gen
t
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
 (1) Tangents
�A tangent to a circle is a straight line that touches
the circle at one point.

NotDrawing a radius Tangents

tangents
to any tangent
to a circle
always produces
a 900 angle

⚪ The point where the tangent touches the circle is

called the point of contact.
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
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.
O

ΙΙ ΙΙ Note: Triangle AOB is isosceles since OA

A B
and OB are the radii of the circle and they
are equal.
SYMMETRY PROPERTIES OF CHORDS 2

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

O 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

because OA = OB (radii of circle)
So angle OBA = x.

B
A
(2) Two tangents

Two tangents will create Isosceles Triangles

You need to identify:

Equal pairs of lines (length)
Equal pairs of angles
Two tangents.
Use the right angle
(tangent to radius) to
Use “Isosceles triangle” to show
calculate the 200
700 angles

700
200
40º 1400

200
700

Since angles in a
triangle add up
to 1800 show the Use the isosceles triangle to
1400 show 200 angle
Two tangents from a point outside circle
Tangents are equal
PA = PB

90°
PO bisects angle APB
<APO =
g <BPO
g

90° <PAO = <PBO = 90°

AO = BO
(Radii)
The two Triangles APO and BPO are Congruent
Angle relationship
in circles
Angles in a semi circle

Use the diameter of a circle as

the base of a triangle

Any triangle you make

using this base will form
a right angled triangle
THEOREM 2

An angle in a semi-circle is
always a right angle.
O
PROOF
Example
Find the value of x.

Angles in a semi-circle = 90o

and
angles in a triangle add up to 180o.
 The angles in circles
One side is the radius of the circle
For these
triangles: One side is a tangent to the circle

Right
angle Right
angle

Since these two lines meet at right angles- these

are right angle triangles!
 Remember:
Angles in a
Finding angles triangle add up
to 1800

Once you can spot the

right angles triangles-
900 you can find missing
32º angles

900 d

320 + 900 + a = 1800

32 + 90 + 58 = 180 d + d + 900 = 1800
45 + 45 + 90 = 180
a = 58 0
d = 450
Major and minor segments
Any circle can be divided into two unequal parts. These
are called segments
You can use your The larger part is
chord as the base of a the major segment. Minor
triangle segment
The smaller part is
the minor segment.
d Major
Or… segment
c The line that divides
a the circle is called a
b
chord.

Providing all the angles are in the same a=b=c=d

segments they will be equal.
THEOREM 4

Angles from the same arc in

the same segment are equal.
Example
Find the value of x.

Angles from the same arc in the same

segment are equal.
 Angles at the centre/circumference

From a chord you can create a triangle at the centre or

at the circumference of the circle.

The angle at the centre is twice

At the centre
the size of the angle at the
At the circumference circumference
THEOREM 1

The angle at the centre is twice

the angle at the circumference.
O
 b

180 - 2b
2a + 2b
b = 2(a + b)
a 180 – 2a

a
Example
Find the value of x.

Angle at centre = 2 × angle at circumference

Example
Find the value of x.

Angle at centre = 2 × angle at circumference

Example
Find the value of x.

Angle at centre = 2 × angle at circumference

Example
Find the value of x.

Angle at centre = 2 × angle at circumference

Questions

b = 600 300

130º

2500
a = 650
1100

c C = 1250
 Putting your rules together

Angles at a
tangent = 900
An isosceles
triangle has two
equal angles
500 40º
Angles in a triangle 500
add up to 1800 1000 2600

Angle at the centre is

twice that at the
circumference
400

Angles round a point

add up to 3600
 CYCLIC
QUADRILATERAL
A cyclic quadrilateral is
one that has all four
vertices touching the
circumference of a
circle.
 a

2a + 2b = 360

2(a + b) = 360
2b
a + b = 180

2a

b
Cyclic Quadrilateral

So:
In any cyclic
B
Quadrilateral
A + C = 1800
A opposite
D + B = 180 0
corners sum
to 1800
C
D
E

H
Any
So:4 points on a
F
G circle
E + Gjoined
= 1800 to form a
quadrilateral
F + H = 1800
THEOREM 3

Opposite angles of a cyclic

quadrilateral add up to 180o.
Example
Find the values of x and y.

Opposite angles in a cyclic

quadrilateral add up to 180o.
Cyclic Quadrilateral Questions

What are the missing

angles? 1400
900

900
1100

50º
40º

1300

70º
 E

Major Segment

A B C Minor Segment

The Shaded Segment BED is called the alternate segment to the angle CBD
 90 - a
a

180 – 2(90 – a)
180 – 180 + 2a 2a

90 - a
a
Alternate segments

Angles in alternate
segments are equal
A

B
 Alternate Segment Theorem
Alternate Segment

The angle between a tangent

and a chord is equal to any
Angle in the alternate segment

Angle in Alternate Segment

Angle between tangent & chord

We say
“The angle between a tangent and a chord is equal to any
Angle in the alternate (opposite) segment”
 Double Angle Semicircle

Segment Angles Cyclic Quadrilateral Alternate Segment