Circle with Special Segment

Definition: A circle is the set of all points in a plane that are

equidistant from a given point called the center of the circle.
A circle with center P is called “circle P” and can be written
⊙P.

There are three kinds of segments related to circles. A

radius is a segment whose endpoints are the center of the
circle and a point on the circle. A chord is a segment
whose endpoints are on the circle. A diameter is a chord
that contains the center.

Theorem: The diameter d of a circle is twice the radius r of the circle. That is, d
= 2r.

Theorem: All radii of a circle are congruent.

Example: In ⊙T, CD is a diameter. If CD = 42, find TC.

Solution:
TC is a radius of ⊙T.
d = 2r Definition of radius
CD = 2(TC) Replace d with CD and r with
TC.
42 = 2(TC) Replace CD with 42.
42 2(𝑇𝐶)
= Divide each side by 2.
2 2
21 = TC Simplify.
Because all circles have the same shape, any two circles are
similar. However, two circles are congruent if and only if
their radii are congruent. Two circles are concentric if they
meet the following three requirements.
• They lie in the same plane.
• They have the same center.
• They have radii of different lengths.

Postulate: If two circles are congruent, then their radii and diameters are
congruent. Conversely, if the radii and diameters are congruent, then two circles
are congruent.

Example: QN is a diameter of ⊙O and PN = ON =12. Find

the length of chord QP.

Solution:
Because PN = ON and ON = OP , ∆NOP is equilateral.
Then ∠2 = ∠N = ∠NPO = 60. Also, OP = OQ; so ∆POQ is isosceles with m∠1 =
120° ,because this angle is supplementary to ∠2. Now m∠Q = m∠3 = 30°
because the sum of the measures of the angles of ∆POQ is 180°. If m∠N = 60°
and m∠Q = 30°, then ∆NPQ is a right ∆ whose angle measures are 30°, 60°, and
90°. It follows that QP = PN.√3 = 12√3 .

Note: The segment connecting the centers of the two intersecting circles contains
a radius of each circle.

Example: The diameters of ⊙A, ⊙B, and ⊙C are 10, 20

and 14, respectively. Find XB and BY.

Solution:
Since the diameter of ⊙A is 10, AX = 5.
Since the diameter of ⊙B is 20, AB = 10 and BC = 10.
XB is part of radius AB .
AX + XB = AB Segment Addition Postulate
5 + XB = 10 Substitution
XB = 5 Subtract 5 from each side.
Definition: The distance from the center of a circle to a chord is the measure of
perpendicular segment from the center to the chord.

Theorem: A radius that is perpendicular to a chord bisects the

chord.

Proof:

Statement Reason
1- OD ⊥ AB Given
2- Draw radii OA and OB By construction
3- OA ≅ OB All radii of a circle are ≅
4- ∠1 and ∠2 are right angles OD ⊥ AB
5- OC ≅ OC Reflexive property
6- ∆OCA ≅ ∆OCB By HL
7- AC ≅ CB By CPCTC

Theorem: If a radius of a circle bisects a chord that is not a diameter, then it is

perpendicular to that chord.

In ⊙O, OH bisects EF, then OH ⊥ EF.

Theorem: The perpendicular bisector of a chord passes

through the center of a circle.

PQ is the ⊥ bisector of CD
PQ passes through O.