UNDERSTANDING CIRCLE THEOREMS-PART ONE.

Common terms:
(a) ARC- Any portion of a circumference of a circle.
(b) CHORD- A line that crosses a circle from one point to another. If this chord
passes through the centre then it is referred to as a diameter
(c) A TANGENT- A line that touches a circle at only one point.
Theorem 1.
The angle subtended at the centre of a circle is twice the angle subtended at the
circumference by the same arc.
Theorem 2.
Angles subtended by an arc in the same segment of a circle are equal.

Example 1.
Given PQO = 650
Find QRP
Q

O R
P

Triangle OQP is isosceles (OP = OQ, the radii)

:. OPQ = 650 :. QOP = 1800 –(650 +650 ) (angle sum of a triangle)
= 500
:. QRP = 250 (half of angle at the centre).
Example2. D

C Given that angle BDC = 780 and DCA = 560.

A Find angles BAC and DBA.

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 Solution: BAC = BDC = 780. ( both subtended by arc BC)
DBA = DCA = 560. ( both subtended by arc AD)
Theorem3.
The opposite angles in a cyclic quadrilateral add up to 1800 (the angles are
supplementary).
ABCD is a cyclic quadrilateral because all its vertices touch the circumference of the
circle.(ABCO is not cyclic because O is not at the circumference).
Proof:
D
OA and OC are radii.
Let angle ADC = d d
and angle ABC = b

O
C
A
b
B
AOC obtuse = 2d (angles at the centre)
AOC reflex = 2b (angles at the centre)
:. 2d + 2b = 3600 (angles at a point)
:. d + b = 1800 as required

Example3.
C
Find a and x x CDA = a, ABC = 980 , DCB = x0 ,DAB = 4x0
B
D a 980

4x

a = 1800 – 980 (opposite angles of a cyclic quadrilateral)

:. a = 820
x + 4x = 1800 ( opposite angles of a cyclic quadrilateral
5x = 1800
x = 720
Exercise. 1.ABCD is a quadrilateral inscribed in circle, centre O, and AD is a diameter of
the circle. If angle CDB = 460 and ADB = 310. Calculate
(a) the angle ABC (b) the angle BCD (c) the angle BAD.

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 2. A circle has a radius of 155mm .AB is a chord of this circle which is 275mm
long. What angle does AB subtend at the circumference of the circle.
3. Given angle XWZ = 200 , angle WZY = 800 and O is the centre of the circle
(a) Find angle WXY
(b) Show that WY bisects XWZ
X

200 800
W O Z

Theorem 4.
The angle between a tangent and the radius drawn to the point of contact is 900
Line ABC is a tangent and angle ABO = 900

A C
B

Example 4. Find the angle BCO and angle BOC.

4a

a
B C
A

4a + a + 900 = 1800
5a = 900
a = 180.
Angle BCO = 180 and BOC = 4 x 180 = 720.

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 UNDERSTANDING CIRCLE THEOREMS –PART TWO.

Theorem 5.
The tangents to a circle originating from a common point are equal in length.
Theorem 6.
The Alternate segment theorem.
The angle between a tangent and chord through the point of contact is equal to
the angle subtended by the chord in the alternate segment.
angle TAB = angle BCA and angle SAC = angle CBA

S A T

A
Example 1.

800
T
O
C

a) TBA is isosceles (TA = TB) ,angle TAB = angle TBA.

:. TBA = ½ (180 – 80)
= 500

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 b) OBT = 900 (tangent and radius)
OBA = 900 – 500
= 400.
c) ACB = ABT (alternate segment theorem)
ACB = 500
Theorem 7.
Intersecting chords theorem

C
B
X

A D
AX.BX = CX.DX

Proof:
In triangles AXC and BXD:
Angle ACX = angle DBX (same segment)
Angle CAX = angle BDX (same segment)
:. The triangles AXC and BXD are similar.
AX = CX
DX BX
Thus AX.BX = CX.DX
Exercise.
Find x

(a) x (b)
6 4
x
10
x
15 9

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Theorem 8. The intersecting secants theorem.

X
D C

Using triangles BXD and AXC;

Angle XAC = angle XDB, angle XCA =angle XBD.(Figure BACD is a cyclic
quadrilateral).Thus triangles AXC and BXD have equal angles and are similar.

AX = CX
DX BX
Thus AX.BX = CX.DX (This is the intersecting secants theorem)
Theorem 9.
The secant/tangent theorem.

C
T

Angle BCT = angle BAC(alternate segment theorem). Triangles ATC and BTC share
angle T and are similar triangles. (when triangles have two angles equal then they are
similar.
In the triangles,
AT = TC ;AT.BT = TC2(This is the secant/tangent theorem).
TC BT

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Example 2.
4cm
5 xcm

9cm Solution: 4 x 9 = x.( 9 + x)

36 = 9x + x2.
x2 + 9x – 36 = 0
x2 + 12x – 3x – 36 = 0
x(x + 12) – 3(x + 12) = 0
(x – 3)(x + 12) = 0; x = 3 or x = - 12.
Since x cannot be negative then x = 3 cm.
Example 3.

xcm Solution: 3 (3 + x) = 2 x 6.
9 + 3x = 12.
3x = 3
3cm 4cm x = 1cm.
2cm

Exercise.
1. Two chords of a circle KL and MN intersect at X, and KL is produced to T. Given that
KX = 6cm, XL = 4cm, MX = 8cm and LT = 8cm. calculate
a) NX
b) The length of the tangent from T to the circle
c) The ratio of the areas of KXM to LXN.

2. Find x.
6cm
xcm ( x + 1 )cm

3. Chords AB and BC of a circle are produced to meet outside the circle at T. a tangent is
drawn from T to touch the circle at E. Given AB = 5cm, BT = 4cm and DC = 9cm,
Calculate
a) CT b) TE
c) the ratio of the areas of ADT to BCT
d) the ratio of the areas of BET to AET