Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.

com

1.

A 70°
O x°
y° C

Diagram NOT accurately drawn

In the diagram, A, B, C and D are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.

Angle BAD = 70°.
Angle BOD = x°.
Angle BCD = y°.

(a) (i) Work out the value of x.

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

(ii) Give a reason for your answer.

...............................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) (i) Work out the value of y.

y = ....................................

Edexcel Internal Review 1

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

(ii) Give a reason for your answer.

...............................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 4 marks)

2.

O
A

Diagram NOT accurately drawn

A, B and C are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.

AC is a diameter of the circle.

(a) (i) Write down the size of angle ABC.

..........................°

(ii) Give a reason for your answer.

...............................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................
(2)

Edexcel Internal Review 2

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

F
E

O 130º

D
Diagram NOT accurately drawn

D, E and F are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.

Angle DOF = 130°.

(b) (i) Work out the size of angle DEF.

..........................°

(ii) Give a reason for your answer.

...............................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 4 marks)

Edexcel Internal Review 3

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

3.

36º
A D

Diagram NOT accurately drawn

The diagram shows a circle centre O.

A, B and C are points on the circumference.

DCO is a straight line.

DA is a tangent to the circle.

Angle ADO = 36°

(a) Work out the size of angle AOD.

................................. °
(2)

(b) (i) Work out the size of angle ABC.

................................. °

Edexcel Internal Review 4

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

(ii) Give a reason for your answer.

...............................................................................................................................
(3)
(Total 5 marks)

Edexcel Internal Review 5

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

4.

x
S T

Diagram NOT accurately drawn

R and S are two points on a circle, centre O.

TS is a tangent to the circle.
Angle RST = x.

Prove that angle ROS = 2x.

You must give reasons for each stage of your working.

(Total 4 marks)

Edexcel Internal Review 6

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

5.

Diagram NOT accurately drawn

B and C are points on a circle, centre O.

AB and AC are tangents to the circle.
Angle BOC = 130°.

Work out the size of angle BAO.

..............................°
(Total 3 marks)

Edexcel Internal Review 7

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

6.

15°
O

x°

A C

Diagram NOT accurately drawn

B and C are two points on a circle, centre O.

Angle OBC = 15°.

AB and AC are tangents to the circle.

(a) Calculate the size of the angle marked x°.

....................°
(2)

Edexcel Internal Review 8

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

(b) Give reasons for your answer.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 4 marks)

7.

3 cm
O

3 cm

P
A 5 cm

Diagram NOT accurately drawn

A and B are points on a circle, centre O, radius 3 cm.

PA and PB are tangents to the circle.

PA = 5 cm.

(a) Write down the size of the angle OBP.

....................... °
(1)

(b) (i) Write down the length of PB.

.................... cm

Edexcel Internal Review 9

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

(ii) Give a reason for your answer.

...............................................................................................................................

...............................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 3 marks)

8.

P Q

Diagram NOT accurately drawn

P is a point on the circumference of the circle, centre O.

PQ is a tangent to the circle.

(i) Write down the size of angle OPQ.

................................ °

(ii) Give a reason for your answer.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(Total 2 marks)

Edexcel Internal Review 10

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

9.

O
A < B

44°
< P
T

Diagram NOT accurately drawn

The diagram shows a circle, centre O.

A, S, B and T are points on the circumference of the circle.

PT and PS are tangents to the circle.

AB is parallel to TP.

Angle SPT = 44°.

Work out the size of angle SOB.

..................................°
(Total 4 marks)

Edexcel Internal Review 11

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

10.

A
P
86°

O
x

Diagram NOT accurately drawn

A and B are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.

PA and PB are tangents to the circle.
Angle APB is 86°.

Work out the size of the angle marked x.

.........................°
(Total 2 marks)

Edexcel Internal Review 12

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

11.

A
B
85°
O
x°

In the diagram, A, B and C are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.

Angle ABC = 85°.

(i) Work out the size of the angle marked x°.

................................ °

(ii) Give a reason for your answer.

.....................................................................................................................................

.....................................................................................................................................
(Total 2 marks)

1. (a) (i) 2 × 70
140 2
B1 for 140 cao
(ii) Reason
B1 for ‘angle at centre is twice angle at circumference’

1
(b) (i) 180 – 70 or × 220
2
110 2
B1 for 110 cao

Edexcel Internal Review 13

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

(ii) Reason
B1 for ‘opposites angles in a cyclic quadrilateral sum to 180
degrees’
or ‘angle at centre is twice angle at circumference’
[4]

2. (a) (i) 90
angle in a semi-circle = 90° 2
B1 cao
B1 for angle in a semi-circle (= 90°) or angle at the centre is
twice the angle at the circumference or angle subtended by a
diameter = 90°.

(b) (i) 130 ÷ 2

65
B1 cao
(ii) angle at centre is twice the angle at the circumference 2
B1 for angle at the centre is twice the angle at the
circumference.
[4]

3. (a) AOD = 90 – 36 or 180 – (90 + 36)

54 2
M1 AOD = 90 – 36 or 180 – (90 + 36)
A1 cao

(b) (i) ABC = AOD ÷ 2

27 2
M1 ABC = AOD ÷ 2
A1 ft from ‘54’

(ii) Reason 1
B1 Angle at centre = twice angle at circumference
[5]

Edexcel Internal Review 14

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

4. angle RSO = 90° – x

(angle between tangent and radius = 90°)
angle RSO = angle SRO = 90° – x
(base angles of an isosceles triangle)
angle ROS = 180° – (90° – x) – (90° – x) = 2x
Alternative:
Angle TSR = angle SPR = x where P is a point on the circumference
on the major segment (angles in alternate segment)
Angle ROS = 2x
(angle at centre = twice angle at circumference) 4
B1 for stating (this may be just indicated on the diagram) or
using the fact that angle OST = 90°
M1 for angle ROS = 180° – (90° – x) – (90° – x) or equivalent
A1 for completing the proof to show that angle ROS = 2x
B1 for reasons “angle between tangent and radius = 90°” and
“base angles of an isosceles triangle”
Alternative:
B1 for identifying angle SPR = x
B1 for reason “angles in alternate segment theorem”
B1 for “angle at centre = twice angle at circumference”
B1 for completion of proof
[4]

130
5. 180 – 90 –
2
25 3
M2 for a complete correct method
130
eg 180 – 90 – oe
2
or ½(360 – 90 – 90 – 130)
or angle BAO marked as 25° on the diagram or angle BAO
worked out as 25°
(M1 for angle OBA or angle OCA = 90°
or angle BOA or angle COA = 65°
or both angles ABC and ACB = 65°
(these could be marked on the diagram or implied
by calculation))
A1 cao
S C Award M2 A0 for angle A = 50° indicated on the diagram
or implied by the working or 360 – (90 + 90 + 130 oe) = 50
[3]

Edexcel Internal Review 15

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

6. (a) Angle ABO = 90º

Angle BAC = 180º – 2 × 75º
M1 90 – 15 (= 75), ie for using angle between tangent and
radius is 90º
A1 cao
Alternative
Angle BOC = 180 – 2 × 15 = 150
Angle BAC = 360 – 150 – 90 × 2
Alternative
M1 for 360 – “angle BOC” – 90 × 2 ie for using angle between
tangent and radius is 90º
A1 cao
30 2

(b) 2
B1 for angle between tangent and radius is 90º
B1 for isosceles triangle / length of tangents from point to
circumference are equal.
OR
B1 for angle between tangent and radius is 90º
B1 for isosceles triangle + angles in a quadrilateral
[4]

7. (a) 90 1
B1 for 90 cao
Watch for angle marked on diagram

(b) (i) 5 2
B1 for 5 cao
(ii) Reason
B1 for tangents from an external point are equal in length
[3]

8. (i) 90° and reason 1

B1 for 90°

(ii) 1
B1 for angle between tangent and radius (is 90°)
[2]

Edexcel Internal Review 16

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

9. SOT = 360 – (90 + 90 + 44)

= 136°
SOT = 360 – (90 + 90 + 44)
= 136°
136 – 90
SOT = 360 – (90 + 90 + 44)
= 136°
136 ÷ 2 – 22
46° 4
Using triangle SOP
B1 recognition of tangent/radius property (can be awarded for
a right angle marked on the diagram)
M1 180 – 90 – 22 or sight of 68º
M1 SOP – 22
A1 cao
Using quadrilateral SPTO
B1 recognition of tangent/radius property (can be awarded for
a right angle marked on the diagram)
M1 360 – (2 × 90 + 44) or sight of 136º
M1 SOT – 90
A1 cao
Alternative method for quadrilateral SPTO
B1 recognition of tangent/radius property (can be awarded for
a right angle marked on the diagram)
M1 360 – (2 × 90 + 44) or sight of 136º
M1for 136 ÷ 2 – 22
A1 cao
[4]

1
10. (180 – 86) = 47
2
90 – 47 = 43 2
1 1
M1 for (180 – 86) or 47 or for 90 – ‘47’ or (180 – “94”)
2 2
A1 for 43 cao
[2]

11. (i) 170° 1

B1 cao
(ii) Reason 1
B1 for Angle at centre is twice angle at circumference (accept
edge, middle, O origin )oe
[2]

Edexcel Internal Review 17

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

1. Part (a)(i) was generally done well. Most candidates realised that they needed to double the
angle at the circumference to get the angle at the centre, but in part (a)(ii), only the best
candidates were able to quote the circle theorem accurately. A typical answer here was ‘the
angle in the middle is double the angle at the edge’. A common unacceptable answer was BOD
= 2 × BAD. In part (b)(i), only about a quarter of the candidates were able to work out the
correct value for y. many thought that x and y were equal and said as much in part (b)(ii), e.g.
‘opposite angles in cyclic quadrilateral are equal’. Again, only the best candidates were able to
quote the circle theorem accurately. A common unacceptable answer was ‘circle in a
quadrilateral, opposite angle add to 180°’. A significant number of candidates thought that
BODC was the cyclic quadrilateral and gave the angle as 40°. Candidates should be advised to
learn the circle theorems accurately.

2. A correct answer of 90° was the most common response to (a) part (i), however very few
candidates were able to offer an acceptable reason in (ii). Reasons such as ‘triangles with
hypotenuse as a diameter always give a right angle’ or ‘lines drawn from a diameter always
make a right angle’ were the best of the unacceptable offerings. ‘Angles in a semicircle’ or
‘angles subtended by a diameter’ were accepted for the award of the mark.
In part (b), the correct angle of 65° was usually seen but often supported by an incorrect reason.
It should be noted that ‘Arrow head theory’, or similar is not an acceptable reason.

3. Many candidates answered part (a) correctly, recognising the right angle between radius and
tangent and using the angle sum of a triangle to work out the size of angle AOD. There was,
though, some evidence of poor arithmetic with some candidates unable to subtract 126 from 180
correctly. Correct answers to (b)(i) were much rarer.
Many candidates had remembered that angles in the same segment are equal but had forgotten
that the two angles both need to be on the circumference of the circle. Hence a very common
error was for angle ABC to be given as 54o (the same as angle AOD). The majority of the
candidates who answered (b)(i) correctly were able to give the correct reason in (b)(ii).

4. The first of the four marks awarded in this question was a generous one for recognising or using
the fact that the angle between a radius and a tangent is 90°. Many candidates failed to secure
the award of this mark. Of those that did, the great majority attempted their proof by showing
the result to be true for a particular value of x, neglecting the required general approach, and
often never giving acceptable geometric reasons. Many candidates tried to use the given value
of angle ROS and work ‘backwards’. This approach usually failed.
A large number of candidates drew the line RT and made the assumption of taking RT to be
another tangent, and then assuming triangle RST to be equilateral.
Only a few candidates succeeded in completing a proof for the general case.

Edexcel Internal Review 18

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

5. This question divided students into two categories, the most fruitful being those who applied
geometric principles to finding the angle and, unfortunately, those who didn’t.
Drawing in the radii OB and OC created the quadrilateral ABOC and, using the fact that the
radius and the tangent meet at right-angles and that angle BOC (given) was 130º, allowed the
calculation of angle BAC as 360º– 90º – 90º – 130º to give 50º. This working earned 2 marks for
the complete method. Had the student referred back to the question at this point they would
have realised that it was angle BAO which was required and not BAC. Many candidates had the
angle of 25° written on the diagram and in the correct angle but then wrote 50° on the answer
line thus confusing the required angle with angle BAO. The second most popular method was to
use one of the right-angled triangles, either OBA or OCA, and recognise that line OA bisected
the angle at BOC to give 130º ÷ 2 or 65º. This could then be used in one of the triangles to
obtain BAO directly.
The isosceles triangle ABC also featured in some solutions as a valid method but seemed to
breakdown by focussing the attention on triangle BOC rather than the intended one. It is
important in this type of question to show stages in the working or to make it clear which angle
they have calculated. In this case merely writing 50º (as a result of 180–130) without identifying
which angle it was scored no marks.
Some were muddled with properties of a circle using “angle at the centre is twice that of the
circumference and giving 65 as their final answer.
Overall, 29% scored all 3 marks, 21% scored 2 marks generally for identifying angle BAC as
50°, and 11% scored one mark generally for identifying angle OBA or angle OCA as 90°.

6. In part (a) the majority of the more able candidates correctly found 30 to be the value of x,
however explaining their reasons in part (b) proved far too difficult at all levels. Those that
realised that angles ABO and ACO where 90°could not always correctly explain why; ‘the angle
from a circle (centre) to a tangent is 90°’ or ‘tangents meet circles at 90°’, being two of the
better efforts yet still gaining no credit.

7. In this question candidates were able to give the answer of 90º for (a) and 5 cm for (b)(i) but
very few candidates were able to give a complete reason as to why PB had a length of 5 cm.

8. Over 70% of candidates gained the mark for writing down the correct size of the angle in part (i)
of this question. However, many candidates did not understand the notation used to identify the
angle OPQ and gave 180º as their answer. Many then went on to explain in part (ii) that the
angles in a triangle sum to 180º. Disappointingly, only about one third of the candidates who
answered part (i) correctly could give a clear and succinct reason in part (ii). All that was
required was a clear reference to the angle between the tangent and the radius.

Edexcel Internal Review 19

Edexcel GCSE Maths - Circle Theorems (H) PhysicsAndMathsTutor.com

9. This was a very successful question for the 28% of candidates that gained all four marks. In fact
though 25% of candidates scored no marks 12% scored the mark for recognising that there were
90º between the tangent and radius of a circle and a further 35% gained two marks for correctly
calculating the value of either angle TOP or SOT or SOP. There were a number of valid
methods for solving this question and all were awarded marks if the solution was correct. A
surprising number of candidates had no understanding of which angle SOB referred to .Often
they mentioned angle O which was of course meaningless as there were many angles with this
point as a vertex.

10. About two thirds of responses to this question were awarded at least one mark with just over a
half of candidates achieving full marks.
Many candidates demonstrated that they knew that the tangent and radius met at 90º. However,
a significant number of candidates gave “4º” as their answer – obtaining this from doubling 86
and subtracting from 180º before halving or from subtracting 86º from 90º. The candidates who
gained one mark often worked out that angle ABP was 47º but could go no further.

11. A straightforward circle theorem question in which most students got 170°. A few got
themselves confused and thought this was about cyclic quadrilaterals and others worked out the
reflex angle instead as 170°. Explanations were good but still in many cases focussing on the
particular (‘angle AOC’) rather than the general (‘angle at the centre’).or using reference to the
‘arrowhead’.

Edexcel Internal Review 20