Circles

Vocabulary
And
Properties
 Circle
A set of all points in a plane at a given
distance (radius) from a given point
(center) in the plane.

r

center
 Radius
A segment from a point on the circle to
the center of the circle.

r

 Congruent Circles
Two circles whose radii have the same measure.

r =3 cm r =3 cm
 Concentric Circles
Two or more circles that share the same center.

.

 Chord
A segment whose endpoints lie on the circle.
Segments AB & CD are chords of G

B
A
G

D
C
 Diameter
A chord passing through the center of a circle.
Segment IJ is a diameter of G


G

I
 Secant
A line that passes through two points of the
circle.
A line that contains a chord.
 Tangent
A line in the plane of the circle that intersects the
circle in exactly one point.


●

The point of contact is called the

Point of Tangency
 Semicircle
A semicircle is an arc of a circle whose endpoints
are the endpoints of the diameter.
C
●
Three letters are
required to name a
semicircle: the
A  B endpoints and one
point it passes through.

ACB is a semicircle
 Minor Arc
An arc of a circle that is smaller than a semicircle.
C
●

Two letters are required

P  B to name a minor arc:
the endpoints.

PC or CB are minor arcs

 Major Arc
An arc of a circle that is larger than a semicircle.

C
●

A  B

ABC or CAB are major arcs

 Inscribed Angle
An angle whose vertex lies on a circle and
whose sides contain chords of a circle.
A

C
B

<ABC & <BCD are inscribed angles

 Central Angle
An angle whose vertex is the center of the circle
and sides are radii of the circle.

B

K

<AKB is a central angle

 Properties of Circles
The measure of a central angle is two times the
measure of the inscribed angle that intercepts
the same arc.
B
A
2x

P
x

C
m<APB = 2 times m<ACB
½ m<APB = m<ACB
 Example
If the m<C is 55, then the m<O is 110.
Both angle C and angle O intercept the same arc, AB.

B
A
110°

55°

C
Angles inscribed in the same arc are congruent.

The m<AQB =m<APB

A B both intercept arc AB.

Q
P

m<QAP = m<PBQ
Both angles intercept QP
Every angle inscribed in a semicircle is an
right angle.
 Example
Each of the three
C angles inscribed in
D
B the semicircle is a
right angle.
A E Angle B, C, and D are all 90
degree angles.
 Property #4
The opposite angles of a quadrilateral
inscribed in a circle are supplementary.
 Example
The measure of angle D + angle B=180
The measure of angle C+angle A=180

B
65
A 70

110 C
115
D
 Property #5
Parallel lines intercept congruent arcs on
a circle.
 Example
Arc AB is congruent to Arc CD

B
D

C
 Formulas
What are the two formulas for finding
circumference?
C=
C=
 Answer
C=2 pi r

C=d pi
 Area of a circle
A=?
 Answer
A=radius square times pi