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

(1) Tangents

A tangent to a circle is a straight line that touches the circle at one point.
Tangents

Not Drawing a radius 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.

The angles in circles

For these triangles: One side is the radius of the circle 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!

Finding angles
900
32

Remember: Angles in a triangle add up to 1800

Once you can spot the right angles trianglesyou can find missing angles

d 900 d

320 + 900 + a = 1800 32 + 90 + 58 = 180 a= 580

d + d + 900 = 1800 45 + 45 + 90 = 180 d = 450

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

(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 Isosceles triangle to show 700 angles Use the right angle (tangent to radius) to calculate the 200

700
40

200
1400 200

700 Since angles in a triangle add up to 1800 show the 1400

Use the isosceles triangle to show 200 angle

(3) Cyclic Quadrilateral

So: A + C = 1800 D + B = 1800 A B

In any cyclic Quadrilateral opposite corners sum to 1800

C

E H F G

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

Cyclic Quadrilateral Questions

What are the missing angles?
1100 50 40 1300 70 1400 900 900

(4) Major and minor segments

Any circle can be divided into two unequal parts. are called segments
You can use your chord as the base of a triangle d Or a c b The line that divides the circle is called a chord.

These

The larger part is the major segment.

The smaller part is the minor segment.

Minor segment Major segment

Providing all the angles are in the same segments they will be equal.

a=b=c=d

(5) Angles at the centre/circumference

From a chord you can create a triangle at the centre or at the circumference of the circle.

At the centre At the circumference

The angle at the centre is twice the size of the angle at the circumference

Questions
b = 600
a b
130 300

2500

a = 650
1100

C = 1250

Putting your rules together

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

2600

Angle at the centre is twice that at the circumference

Angles round a point add up to 3600

400

(6) Alternate segments

Angles in alternate segments are equal
A B A B