Past paper Questions.

Geometry - Circle Theorems

Questions
Q1

ABC and DEF are parallel straight lines and GBEH is a straight line. ∠AB E = 135° and ∠FEH = p°

Find the value of p.

p = ...........................................................

(Total for question = 2 marks)

(Q03 4MB1/01, Jan 2020)

Q2.

Using the diagram above, prove that the sum of the angles of triangle ABC is the same as the sum of the
angles on the straight line DCE Give a reason for each stage of your proof.

(Total for question = 3 marks)

(QU14 4MB1/01, June 2022)
Q3.

ABCD is a quadrilateral such that the points A, B, C and D lie on a circle, center O.
EAF is the tangent to the circle at A.

Calculate the size, in degrees, of .

Give reasons for each stage of your working.

= ........................................................... °

(Total for question = 4 marks)

(Q21 4MB1/01, Nov 2020)

Q4.
In Figure 2, ABCDG is a circle, centre O. EDF
is the tangent to the circle at the point D

∠ABC = 86° ∠CDF = 38° The length of

the arc AGD is 0.8π cm.

(a) Giving reasons, show that the radius of the

circle is 1.5 cm.

(6)
2
(b) Calculate the area, in cm to 2 decimal places of the circle ABCDG
(2)

(Total for question = 8 marks)

(Q07 4MB1/02, Jan 2022)
Q5.

In the diagram, A, B, C and D are points on a circle, centre

O. ∠CBO = 62° and ∠BCD = 126°

(a) Find the size, in degrees, of ∠BAD. Give a reason for

your answer.

∠BAD = ........................................................... °
(2)
(b) Find the size, in degrees, of ∠ODC.
Give reasons for your working.

∠ODC = ........................................................... °
(4)
(Total for question = 6 marks)

(Q25 4MB1/01, June 2019)

Q6.
Figure 2 shows the circle ABCDE with centre O. The
chords AE and BD intersect outside the circle at the
point F.

(a) Giving your reasons, show that

(5)

Given that AE = 4.9 cm, EF = 3.5 cm and DF = 3.0 cm,

(b) calculate the area, in cm2 to 3 significant figures, of .

(5)

(Total for question = 10 marks)

(Q10 4MB1/02, June 2021)
Q7.
A, B, C and D are points on a circle.
EAB and EDC are straight lines.

ED = 6 cm DC = 8 cm EA = 7.5
cm AB = x cm

Calculate the value of x.

x = ...........................................................

(Total for question = 3 marks)

(Q12 4MB1/01, Nov 2021)

Q8.
A, B, C and D are points on a circle.
EDF is the tangent to the circle at point D.
Angle BDF = 75°

Calculate, giving your reasons, the size, in

degrees, of ∠BCD

........................................................... °

(Total for question = 3 marks)

(Q12 4MB1/01, Jan 2023)

Q9.

Figure 2 shows a circle ABCDE with centre O. ∠BAO = 18° ∠AOD = 120°

The area of segment BCD, shown shaded in Figure 2, is T cm2

Given that the perimeter of the sector AODE is 5(3 + π) cm,

calculate the value, to one decimal place, of T.

(6)

(Total for question = 6 marks)

(Q09 4MB1/02, Nov 2021)
Q10.

In the diagram, P, Q and R are points on a circle with centre O

PRS is a straight line and

Calculate, in degrees, the size of

Give reasons for each stage of your working.

(Total for question = 4 marks)

(Q18 4MB1/01R, June 2022)

Q11.

A, B, C and D are four points on a circle.

The chord AC intersects the chord BD at E

(a) Find the value of x and the value of y

Show your working clearly.

x = ...........................................................

y = ...........................................................
(6)
Given that area of ΔABE : area of ΔCDE = 1 : n

(b) find the value of n

n = ...........................................................
(2)
(Total for question = 8 marks)

(Q25 4MB1/01R, June 2022)

Examiner's Report
Q1.
The majority of responses to this question were correct. The most common incorrect answer given as
135°. Candidates failing to obtain the required answer for two marks were sometimes able to pick up an M
mark for either giving (correctly) another angle usually shown on the diagram.

(Q03 4MB1/01, Jan 2020)

Q2.
Many candidates correctly identified two pairs of equal angles with the corect reasoning of 'alternate
angles'. The final mark proved to be more elusive however as a significant number of candidates focused
on angles in a triangle and angles on a straight line rather than the commonality of angle ACB.
(QU14 4MB1/01, June 2022)
Q3.
This question was generally well answered with a large proportion of students making a good effort at the
explanation. However, more attention needs to be paid to minimum wording for these explanations - it
appears that some are under the impression that some code words such as simply writing "cyclic
quadrilateral" is enough whereas they need to refer to opposite angles and 180°.
There was some confusion over three letter angle notation and some students did not understand which
angle was being asked for or label which angle they were finding. Students who gained partial marks more
commonly used the fact that ABCD was cyclic than the alternate segment theorem. Once again, a logical
step-by-step approach and good presentation helped here.
(Q21 4MB1/01, Nov 2020)
Q4.
This proved to be a fairly challenging question. Many candidates failed to correctly use circle theorems
appropriately to correctly evaluate the ∠AOD in part (a). A common error was to incorrectly use the angle at
the centre is twice the angle at the circumference rule and identify ∠AOD as 172°. There were several
possible ways to work out ∠AOD and candidates used a variety of rules to do. Unfortunately, many either
gave no reasons for their working or gave reasons which were imprecise or incorrect and therefore lost the
final A mark. Some candidates incorrectly worked back from the given value r = 1.5 to determine ∠AOD
and then used that to prove the radius was 1.5cm. In part (b) some candidates incorrectly used Area of

circle = 2π r or Area of circle = ab sinC or worked out the area of the sector OAGD rather than the area
of the circle. But, in general, this part was correctly completed by most.
(Q07 4MB1/02, Jan 2022)
Q5.
This question was generally well answered with a large proportion of students making a good effort at the
explanation. However, more attention needs to be paid to minimum wording for these explanations - it
appears that some are under the impression that some code words such as simply writing "cyclic
quadrilateral" is enough whereas they need to refer to opposite angles and 180°.
Part (a) was answered better than part (b). In Part (a) there was some confusion over three letter angle
notation and some students did not understand which angle was being asked for. In part (b) a few students
confused BCDO with a cyclic quadrilateral. Generally, those who identified angle BOD being twice BCD on
the circumference went on to a successful conclusion. Once again, a logical step-by-step approach and
good presentation helped here. (Q25 4MB1/01, June 2019)
Q6.
No Examiner's Report available for this question
Q7.
This particular circle theorem seems to be a significant weakness of the candidates with over half the
candidates failing to gain any marks on this question. A number had a totally incorrect statement of the
theorem, with a significant minority attempting something like the tangent secant theorem. One candidate
showed a proof of this theorem using similar triangles, while this is impressive it does suggest they have
not been taught this as a standard result.
(Q12 4MB1/01, Nov 2021)
Q8.
 While about a third of students scored 2 or more marks here, it was disappointing that giving the correct
reasons proved to be the downfall e.g. alternate angles or simply cyclic quadrilateral were popular incorrect
or incomplete reasons.
(Q12 4MB1/01, Jan 2023)

Q9.
This question was a good discriminator at the upper grades with only about 20% of students gaining full
marks. The most common error was to forget to add 2r to the arc length for the perimeter of the sector.
Those who made this error were then generally able to gain the method marks for finding the area. The
most successful students were the ones who attempted to use
shaded area = area of the sector OBCD – the area of triangle OBD

Those who used the area of the full circle minus the unshaded area made errors in their calculations or
subtracted the area or triangle OAB rather than the sector OAB.

(Q09 4MB1/02, Nov 2021)

Q10.

Although many candidates appreciated the required method for finding angle OQP (using angles on a
straight line, the angle at the centre is twice the angle at the circumference and base angles of an isosceles
triangle are equal) many incorrectly believed that the required circle theorem involved either angles in the
same segment or angles in a semicircle. Of those that correctly obtained a value of 28 only the most able
could give reasons for each stage of their working.

(Q18 4MB1/01R, June 2022)

Q11.

Many candidates scored at least one mark in part (a) for correctly applying the intersecting chord theorem
and obtaining 5y = 15x. Only the most able could then apply the cosine rule and obtain the correct three
term quadratic in x and solve this to find the required values of x and y. Candidates are reminded that when
questions ask for 'clear working' then all relevant methods should be shown (including how they have
solved their quadratic equation). Although several candidates correctly found the value of n in part (b) the
majority left this part blank.

(Q25 4MB1/01R, June 2022)

Mark Scheme
Q1.

(Q03 4MB1/01, Jan 2020)

Q2.

(QU14 4MB1/01, June 2022)

Q3.
 (Q21 4MB1/01, Nov 2020)
Q4.

(Q07 4MB1/02, Jan 2022)

Q5.
 (Q25 4MB1/01, June 2019)

Q6.
 (Q10 4MB1/02, June 2021)

Q7.

(Q12 4MB1/01, Nov 2021)

Q8.

(Q12 4MB1/01, Jan 2023)

Q9.
 (Q09 4MB1/02, Nov 2021)
Q10.

(Q18 4MB1/01R, June 2022)

Q11.

(Q25 4MB1/01R, June 2022)