Flashcards · Maths
Circle Theorems
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What is a chord?
A straight line joining two points on a circle.
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What is a tangent?
A straight line that touches a circle at one point.
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What is an arc?
A part of the circumference of a circle.
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What is the diameter?
A chord that passes through the centre.
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What does the angle at the centre equal?
Twice the angle at the circumference.
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If the angle at the circumference is \(35^\circ\), what is the angle at the centre?
\(70^\circ\).
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If the angle at the centre is \(100^\circ\), what is the angle at the circumference?
\(50^\circ\).
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What is the angle in a semicircle?
\(90^\circ\).
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What must the line be for the semicircle theorem?
A diameter, passing through the centre.
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What is the reason for a \(90^\circ\) angle at the circumference on a diameter?
The angle in a semicircle is \(90^\circ\).
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What kind of triangle do two radii make?
An isosceles triangle.
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What do the other two angles of a right-angled triangle add up to?
\(90^\circ\).
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What are the two marks for in a circle theorem question?
The angle and the reason.
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Where is the angle at the centre drawn from?
The centre of the circle.
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Do both angles have to come from the same chord?
Yes, from the same two points on the circle.
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How many degrees are in a straight line through the centre?
\(180^\circ\).
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What is a segment of a circle?
The part of a circle cut off by a chord.
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What is true of angles in the same segment?
They are equal.
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What must be true of two angles for the same-segment theorem?
They are made by the same chord, on the same side.
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What is a cyclic quadrilateral?
A quadrilateral with all four corners on a circle.
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What do opposite angles of a cyclic quadrilateral add up to?
\(180^\circ\).
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If one angle of a cyclic quadrilateral is \(74^\circ\), what is the opposite angle?
\(106^\circ\).
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What is the reason for opposite angles of a cyclic quadrilateral?
Opposite angles of a cyclic quadrilateral add up to \(180^\circ\).
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What is an exterior angle of a cyclic quadrilateral equal to?
The interior opposite angle.
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What do the four angles of a quadrilateral add up to?
\(360^\circ\).
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What do you do when angles are given as expressions?
Form an equation, using the theorem, and solve it.
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Which pairs of angles are opposite in \(ABCD\)?
\(A\) and \(C\), and \(B\) and \(D\).
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Can two angles on opposite sides of a chord be equal?
Not by the same-segment theorem; they add up to \(180^\circ\) instead.
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What is the first step in a circle theorem problem?
Decide which theorem each angle belongs to.
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What should you write on the diagram?
Every angle you find.
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Is a rectangle a cyclic quadrilateral?
Yes, its opposite angles add up to \(180^\circ\).
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Is a parallelogram that is not a rectangle cyclic?
No.
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What is a tangent?
A straight line that touches a circle at one point.
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What is a chord?
A straight line joining two points on a circle.
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What is the angle between a tangent and the radius at the point of contact?
\(90^\circ\).
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What is true of tangents from the same point to a circle?
They are equal in length.
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What shape do two tangents and the two radii to the points of contact make?
A kite.
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What do the angles of a quadrilateral add up to?
\(360^\circ\).
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What does a perpendicular from the centre do to a chord?
It bisects it.
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What is the reason for a right angle at a point of contact?
A tangent is perpendicular to the radius.
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What is the shortest distance from the centre to a chord?
The perpendicular distance.
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What triangle is formed by the centre and the ends of a chord?
An isosceles triangle, because two sides are radii.
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What do you use to find the length of a tangent?
Pythagoras in the triangle with the radius.
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A radius is 5 cm and the distance from the centre to the point is 13 cm. How long is the tangent?
12 cm.
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Which side is the hypotenuse in a tangent triangle?
The line from the centre to the outside point.
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A chord is 16 cm long and the radius is 10 cm. How far is the chord from the centre?
6 cm.
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What should you draw first in a tangent question?
The radius to the point of contact.
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Can a line touch a circle at two points and be a tangent?
No, a tangent touches at exactly one point.
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What is the alternate segment theorem?
The angle between a tangent and a chord equals the angle in the alternate segment.
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Where must the chord start for the theorem to apply?
At the point where the tangent touches the circle.
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What does alternate mean here?
On the other side of the chord.
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Which two lines make the angle between a tangent and a chord?
The tangent and the chord.
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If the tangent-chord angle is \(62^\circ\), what is the angle in the alternate segment?
\(62^\circ\).
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What is a tangent perpendicular to?
The radius at the point of contact.
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What do the angles in a triangle add up to?
\(180^\circ\).
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What are the base angles of an isosceles triangle?
Equal.
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Why is a triangle made by two radii isosceles?
Two of its sides are radii, so they are equal.
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What do you write for the alternate segment theorem?
Angle between tangent and chord equals angle in the alternate segment.
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What should you do first when you see a tangent?
Look for the radius and the chord from the point of contact.
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Can you use the theorem if the chord does not start at the point of contact?
No.
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What do two tangents from one point have in common?
They are equal in length.
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What angle is between a tangent and a diameter at the point of contact?
\(90^\circ\).
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What is the best way to avoid losing marks?
Write the full reason next to every angle.
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How do you check an answer?
Check the angles of each triangle add up to \(180^\circ\).
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What does the angle at the centre equal?
Twice the angle at the circumference.
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What makes a triangle isosceles in circle proofs?
Two sides are radii.
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What does the exterior angle of a triangle equal?
The sum of the two opposite interior angles.
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What do the angles of a triangle add up to?
\(180^\circ\).
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What should each line of a proof include?
A reason.
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Why must you not use numbers in a proof?
The proof must work for any angle.
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How do you prove the angle in a semicircle is \(90^\circ\)?
The angle at the centre is \(180^\circ\), so the angle at the circumference is half of it.
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How do you prove opposite angles of a cyclic quadrilateral add up to \(180^\circ\)?
The angles at the centre add up to \(360^\circ\), and each is double.
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What is the gradient of a tangent to a circle at \((a, b)\), centre origin?
\(-\frac{a}{b}\).
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What is the gradient of the radius to \((3, 4)\) from the origin?
\(\frac{4}{3}\).
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What is the gradient of the tangent at \((3, 4)\) on \(x^2 + y^2 = 25\)?
\(-\frac{3}{4}\).
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What formula gives a line through a point?
\(y - y_1 = m(x - x_1)\).
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What do you do first in a multi-step circle problem?
Work out one angle and write its reason.
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Which theorems often combine with the alternate segment theorem?
Triangle angles and isosceles triangles.
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What should you write on the diagram?
Every angle you find.
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Which type of triangle do two radii and a chord make?
Isosceles.