Circle Theorems - Mathematics GCSE Revision
Circle Theorems - Mathematics GCSE Revision
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Circle Theorems
Theorems
This section explains circle theorem, including tangents, sectors, angles and proofs.
The video below highlights the rules you need to remember to work out circle theorems.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHe457F9uLg)
Isosceles Triangle
Two Radii and a chord make an isosceles triangle.
Perpendicular Chord Bisection
The perpendicular from the centre of a circle to a chord will always bisect the chord (split it into two equal
lengths).
Angles formed from two points on the circumference are equal to other angles, in the same arc, formed from
those two points.
Angle in a Semi-Circle
Angles formed by drawing lines from the ends of the diameter of a circle to its circumference form a right angle. So
c is a right angle.
Proof
We can split the triangle in two by drawing a line from the centre of the circle to the point on the circumference
our triangle touches.
We know that each of the lines which is a radius of the circle (the green lines) are the same length. Therefore each
of the two triangles is isosceles and has a pair of equal angles.
But all of these angles together must add up to 180°, since they are the angles of the original big triangle.
A tangent to a circle forms a right angle with the circle's radius, at the point of contact of the tangent.
Also, if two tangents are drawn on a circle and they cross, the lengths of the two tangents (from the point where
they touch the circle to the point where they cross) will be the same.
The angle formed at the centre of the circle by lines originating from two points on the circle's circumference is
double the angle formed on the circumference of the circle by lines originating from the same points. i.e. a = 2b.
Proof
Since the angles in a triangle add up to 180, we know that ∠XOA = 180 - 2a
Similarly, ∠BOX = 180 - 2b
Since the angles around a point add up to 360, we have that ∠AOB = 360 - ∠XOA - ∠BOX
= 360 - (180 - 2a) - (180 - 2b)
= 2a + 2b = 2(a + b) = 2 ∠AXB
Alternate Segment Theorem
This diagram shows the alternate segment theorem. In short, the red angles are equal to each other and the green
angles are equal to each other.
Proof
A tangent makes an angle of 90 degrees with the radius of a circle, so we know that ∠OAC + x = 90.
The angle in a semi-circle is 90, so ∠BCA = 90.
The angles in a triangle add up to 180, so ∠BCA + ∠OAC + y = 180
Therefore 90 + ∠OAC + y = 180 and so ∠OAC + y = 90
But OAC + x = 90, so ∠OAC + x = ∠OAC + y
Hence x = y
Cyclic Quadrilaterals
A cyclic quadrilateral is a four-sided figure in a circle, with each vertex (corner) of the quadrilateral touching the
circumference of the circle. The opposite angles of such a quadrilateral add up to 180 degrees.
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