CIRCLE THEOREMS

Thispageintheproblemsolvingwebsiteishereprimarilyasareminder
of some of the usual definitions and theorems pertaining to circles,
chords, secants, and tangents.Some of the entries below could be
examinedasproblemstoprove. Mainly,however,theseareresultswe
oftenuseinsolvingotherproblems.
0.Definition:Themeasureofanarcofacircleisequaltothemeasure
ofthecentralanglethatinterceptsthearc.

1. Inscribed angle theorem. The measure of an inscribed angle is equal to

one-half the measure of its intercepted arc. The usual proof begins with
the case where one side of the inscribed angle is a diameter. Then the
central angle is an external angle of an isosceles triangle and the result
follows. Situations where a side of the inscribed angle is not a diameter
can be reduces to the former by appropriate auxiliary lines.
2. An angle inscribed in a semicircle is a right angle. The
intercepted arc is a semicircle and therefore has a measure

of equivalent to two right angles. Since the inscribe ange has measure of
one-half of the intercepted arc, it is a right angle.

3. The measure of an angle formed by a tangent and chord is equal to onehalf the measure of its intercepted arc. A useful pair of auxiliary lines is
to contruct an isosceles triangle with one side parallel to
the tangent line.

4. If two chords intersect to form the the vertex of an angle within a

circle, the measure of the angle is equal to one-half the sum of the
measures of the two arcs intercepted by the angle and its vertical angle. A
prudent auxiliary line is a chord connecting two of the endpoints of a
chord, forming a triangle for the vertical angles are exterior angles of the
triangle.

5. If two secants intersect to form thevertex of an angle outside a circle

and the sides of the angle intercept arcs on the circle, then the measure of
the angle is equal to one-half the difference of the measures of the arcs
intercepted by the sides of the angle. A prudent auxiliary line is a chord

connecting points of intersection of the sides of the angle with the circle as
shown at the right.

6. If inscribed angles of a circle intercept the

same arc then they are congruent. This follows from the Inscribed Angle
Theorem.

7. If two chords intersect within a circle, the product of the measures of

the segments of one will be equal to the product of the measures of the
segments of the other.

8. If a tangent segment and a secant segment are drawn to a circle from an

external point, then the square of the measure of the tangent segment is
equal to the product of the secant segment
and its external portion.

9. If two secant segments are drawn to a circle from an external point,

then the product of the measures of one of these segments and its
external portion is equal to the product of the measures of the other with
its external portion.

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