GCSE Maths – Geometry and Measures

Circle Theorems (Higher only)

Worksheet

NOTES SOLUTIONS

This worksheet will show you how to work with different types of circle
theorem questions. Each section contains a worked example, a question with
hints and then questions for you to work through on your own.

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 Section A - Using Circle Theorems

Worked Example

In the following diagram, find the value of angle 𝑥𝑥.

Diagram is not drawn to scale.

Step 1: Identify which circle theorem can be used in the given question.

We can use the theorem which says the radius meets the tangent a 90° angle:

𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂 = 90°

Step 2: Work out the angle being asked for in the question.

Since all the angles in a triangle add up to 180°, we have:

42° + 90° + 𝑥𝑥 = 180°

𝑥𝑥 = 180° − 90° − 42°

𝑥𝑥 = 48°

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 Guided Example

In the following diagram, work out angle 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵.

The diagram is not drawn to scale.

Step 1: Identify which circle theorem can be used in the given question.

Step 2: Work out the angle being asked for in the question.

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 Worked Example

Find the value of angle 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴. The diagram is not drawn to scale.

Step 1: Identify which circle theorem can be used in the given question.

Using the theorem that the angle at the centre is twice the angle at the circumference:

𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 = 2 × 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵

110 = 2 × 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵

𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 = 55

Step 2: Using the diagram, work out all the details not directly stated in the question.

𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂 = 𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂 because they are radii of the circle.

Therefore, triangle 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 is isosceles.

Property of isosceles triangle: base angles are o

equal. We will label these angles 𝑥𝑥. o

o
In triangle 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵, since all the angles in a triangle add
up to 180°, we have:
110° + 2𝑥𝑥 = 180°

2𝑥𝑥 = 180° − 110° = 70°

70°
𝑥𝑥 = = 35°
2

Step 3: Work out the angle being asked for in the question.

Now looking at triangle 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴:

All angles add to 180° in a triangle, so:
o o
55° + (30° + 35°) + (𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 + 35°) = 180° o

o
155° + 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = 180°

𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = 180° − 155° = 25°

Hence, 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = 25°.

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 Guided Example

In the following diagram, work out angle 𝑥𝑥.

The diagram is not drawn to scale.

Step 1: Identify which circle theorem can be used in the given question.

Step 2: Using the diagram, work out all the details not directly stated in the question.

Step 3: Work out the angle being asked for in the question.

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 Now it’s your turn!
If you get stuck, look back at the worked and guided examples.

1. Use circle theorems to solve the following questions. Diagrams are not drawn to
scale.

a) In the following diagram, find the value of angle 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 and angle 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵. Give
reasons for your answers.

b) In the following diagram, work out angle 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 and the value of angle 𝑎𝑎. Give
reasons for your answers.

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c) In the following diagram, find the value of angle 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴.

d) Given that angle 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = 56° and 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 is a tangent to the circle. Is it possible to
calculate angle 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵?

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e) In the following diagram, find angle 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵.

f) In the following diagram, 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 and 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 are tangents to the circle. Find the value of
angle 𝑥𝑥.

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g) If angle 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 = 44°, work out the value of angle 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴.

h) In the following diagram, 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 is a tangent to the circle. Find the angle at A.

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i) In the following diagram, 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 and 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 are tangents to the circle. Find the value of
angle 𝑥𝑥.

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 Section B - Proof Questions

Worked Example

In the following diagram, 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 is a tangent to the circle and 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 is a bisector of
angle 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵. Prove that 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 = 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶.

Step 1: Using information provided in the question, find new details not directly stated in the
question.

As length 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 is a bisector of angle 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵:

𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 = 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 = 𝑥𝑥

Step 2: Identify the circle theorem that fits the given scenario.

By the alternate segment theorem,

𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 = 𝑥𝑥

Therefore, the following is the triangle 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷.

Step 3: Using the information found, prove the required statement.

Triangle 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 is an isosceles triangle because the base angles are equal.

Therefore, 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 = 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 which are the opposite sides.

Hence, we have proved the required statement that 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 = 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶.

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 Worked Example

Using the following diagram, prove that angle 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 is two times angle 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵.

Step 1: Using information provided in the question, find new details not directly stated in the
question.

Since 𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂, 𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂 and 𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂 are all radii, we have:

𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂 = 𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂 = 𝑂𝑂
This means triangle 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 and triangle 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 are isosceles.
Property of isosceles triangles: base angles are equal.

Step 2: With the information found, create a new labelled

diagram.

All angles in a triangle and a straight line add to

180°.

Similarly, in triangle 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴:

Step 3: Using the information found, prove the required statement.

𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 = 2𝑥𝑥 + 2𝑦𝑦 = 2(𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦)

𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 = 𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦
Hence, we have proved 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 = 2 × 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵.

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 Guided Example

Using the following diagram, prove that angle 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 = 90°.

Step 1: Using information provided in the question, find new details not directly stated in the
question.

Step 2: Find the circle theorem that fits the scenario.

Step 3: Using the information found, prove the required statement.

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 Now it’s your turn!
If you get stuck, look back at the worked and guided examples.

2. The following are proof questions. Write down reasons for each step. The diagrams
are not drawn to scale.

a) Prove that angle 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 = 70°.

b) Prove that 𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦 = 180°.

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c) If 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 and 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵 are tangents to the circle, prove that angle 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 is equal to
angle 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵.

d) Using the following diagram, prove that 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 = 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵𝐵.

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