Tangents

Chapter 10 Section 5
Recall
• What is a Circle
– set of all points in a plane that are
equidistant from a given point called a
center of the circle. A circle with center
P is called “circle P”, or P.
• The distance from the center to a
point on the circle is called the radius
of the circle.
• Two circles are congruent if they
have the same radius.
Remember
S
• A chord is a P
segment whose
endpoints are
points on the Q
circle. PS and PR
are chords.
• A diameter is a R

chord that passes

through the center
of the circle. PR is
a diameter.
 Tangent
• A tangent is
– a line in the plane
of a circle that
intersects the circle
in exactly one
point.
– Line l is a tangent.
Ex. 1: Identifying Special
Segments and Lines
Tell whether the line or
segment is best
described as a chord, a
K
tangent, a diameter, or B

a radius of C.
a. AD A

b. CD J
C

c. EG
D

d. HB E

G
More information you need--
• In a plane, two circles
can intersect in two
points, one point, or no
points.
• Coplanar circles that
intersect in one point
are called tangent
circles.
• Coplanar circles that
have a common center
are called concentric.
2 points of intersection.
Tangent circles
• A line or segment that
is tangent to two
coplanar circles is
called a common
tangent.
• A common internal Internally
tangent intersects the tangent
segment that joins the
centers of the two
circles.
• A common external
tangent does not
intersect the segment
that joins the center of
the two circles.
Concentric circles
No points of
• Circles that intersection

have a
common center
are called
concentric
circles.

Concentric
circles
Ex. 2: Identifying common
tangents
• Tell whether the
common tangents k

are internal or
external. C D

j
Ex. 2: Identifying common
tangents
• Tell whether the
common tangents
are internal or A

external. B

• The lines m and n

do not intersect In a plane, the interior of
AB, so they are a circle consists of the
common external points that are inside the
tangents. circle. The exterior of a
circle consists of the
points that are outside
the circle.
 14

Ex. 3: Circles in Coordinate

12

Geometry 10

• Give the center

and the radius of 8

each circle. 6

• Describe the
intersection of the 4
A B

two circles and

describe all 2

common tangents.
5 10
 14

Ex. 3: Circles in Coordinate 12

Geometry 10

• Center of circle A is (4,

4), and its radius is 4. 8

• The center of circle B is

(5, 4) and its radius is 6

3.
• The two circles have 4
A B
one point of
intersection (8, 4). 2

• The vertical line x = 8

is the only common 5 10

tangent of the two

circles.
Using properties of tangents
• The point at which a tangent line
intersects the circle to which it is
tangent is called the point of
tangency.
Theorem 10.91
• If a line is tangent
to a circle, then it P

is perpendicular to
Q
the radius drawn l
to the point of l
tangency.
• If l is tangent to
Q at point P, then l
⊥QP.
Theorem 10.10
• In a plane, if a line
is perpendicular to P
a radius of a circle
at its endpoint on a Q

circle, then the line ll

is tangent to the
circle.
• If l ⊥QP at P, then
l is tangent to
Q.
Ex. 4: Verifying a Tangent to a
Circle
• You can use the
Converse of the D 61
F
Pythagorean 11
Theorem to tell
60
whether EF is tangent E
to D.
• Because 112 + 602 =
612, ∆DEF is a right
triangle so DE is
perpendicular to EF.
• So by Theorem 10.10;
EF is tangent to D.
Ex. 5: Finding the radius of a
circle
• You are standing at C, B
8 feet away from a 16 ft.
grain silo. The
distance from you to a r C
point of tangency is 16 8 ft.
feet. What is the r
A
radius of the silo?
• First draw it. Tangent
BC is perpendicular to
radius AB at B, so
∆ABC is a right triangle;
• So you can use the
Pythagorean theorem to
solve.
 B
16 ft.

Solution: r

r
8 ft.
C

c2 = a2 + b2 Pythagorean Thm.

(r + 8)2 = r2 + 162 Substitute values

r 2 + 16r + 64 = r2 + 256 Square of binomial

16r + 64 = 256 Subtract r2 from each side.

16r = 192 Subtract 64 from each side.

r = 12 Divide.

The radius of the silo is 12 feet.

Note:
• From a point in the circle’s exterior,
you can draw exactly two different
tangents to the circle. The following
theorem tells you that the segments
joining the external point to the two
points of tangency are congruent.
Theorem 10.11
• If two segments R

from the same

exterior point are P
S

tangent to the T

circle, then they

are congruent.
• IF SR and ST are
tangent to P,
then SR  ST.
Ex. 7: Using properties of
tangents
D

• AB is tangent to x2 + 2
C at B. A

• AD is tangent to
C

11
C at D. B

• Find the value of x.

 D

x2 + 2

Solution: C
A

11

AB = AD Two tangent segments from the same point are 

11 = x2 + 2 Substitute values
9 = x2 Subtract 2 from each side.

3=x Find the square root of 9.

The value of x is 3 or -3.

 Construction
• Construct a line tangent to a circle
through an exterior point
– http://www.mathopenref.com/consttangent
s.html

• Construct a line tangent to a circle

through a point on the circle
– http://www.mathopenref.com/consttangent.
html
 Circumscribed Polygons
• Remember circles can be
circumscribed around
polygons
• Polygons can be
circumscribed around
circles
• Instead of the vertices
lying on the circle, every
side of the polygon is
tangent to the circle!
Secants, Tangents and
Angle Measures

Chapter 10 Section 6
Secants
• Secant-
– A line that
intersects a circle
in exactly 2 points
– Extension of a
chord
 Theorem 10.13
• If a tangent and a B

secant intersect at a C

the point of tangency,

then the measure of
each angle formed is
one half the measure
of its intercepted arc. 1


2
A

m1= ½m AB

m2= ½m BCA

 Ex. 1: Finding Angle and Arc
Measures m

• Line m is tangent to
the circle. Find the
measure of the red 1
B

angle or arc.


• Solution:
m1= ½ AB
A

150°
m1= ½ (150°)
m1= 75°
 Ex. 1: Finding Angle and Arc
Measures S

• Line m is tangent to
the circle. Find the
measure of the red
angle or arc.
130°
P R


• Solution:
m RSP = 2(130°)
m RSP = 260°
Ex. 2: Finding an Angle Measure
• In the diagram below, BC C

is tangent to the circle. A

Find mCBD
(9x + 20)°
• Solution:
mCBD = ½ m DAB
 5x° B

5x = ½(9x + 20)
10x = 9x +20
D
x = 20
 mCBD = 5(20°) =
100°
 Lines Intersecting Inside or
Outside a Circle
• If two lines intersect a circle, there
are three (3) places where the lines
can intersect.
on the circle
Inside the circle
Lines Intersecting
• You know how to find angle and arc
measures when lines intersect
ON THE CIRCLE.
• You can use the following theorems
to find the measures when the lines
intersect
INSIDE or OUTSIDE the circle.
 Theorem 10.12
• If two secants
intersect in the interior
of a circle, then
2
– The measure of an
angle formed is ½ the
sum of the measures
of the arcs intercepted
by the angle and its
vertical angle
– 1
m1   x  y  
2
 Theorem 10.14 A
B

1
• If a tangent and a
secant, two tangents
or two secants
intercept in the C

EXTERIOR of a circle,
then the measure of
the angle formed is
one half the difference
of the measures of the
 
m1 = ½ m( BC - m AC )

intercepted arcs.
 Theorem 10.14 P

• If a tangent and a 2

secant, two tangents

or two secants Q
R
intercept in the
EXTERIOR of a circle,
then the measure of
the angle formed is
one half the difference
of the measures of the
intercepted arcs.  
m2 = ½ m( PQR - m PR )
 Theorem 10.14 X

• If a tangent and a W

secant, two tangents 3

or two secants Z

intercept in the
EXTERIOR of a circle,
then the measure of Y

the angle formed is

one half the difference
of the measures of the
intercepted arcs.  
m3 = ½ m( XY - mWZ )
 Ex. 3: Finding the Measure of an
Angle Formed by Two Chords 106° P

• Find the value of x S

Q
x°

174°

 
• Solution:
x° = ½ (mPS +m RQ Apply Theorem 10.12

x° = ½ (106° + 174°) Substitute values

x = 140 Simplify
 E

Ex. 4: Using Theorem 10.14

200°

D
• Find the value of x
F
Solution: x°

 
mGHF = ½ m(EDG - m GF ) Apply Theorem 10.14
G
72°
H

72° = ½ (200° - x°) Substitute values.

144 = 200 - x° Multiply each side by 2.

- 56 = -x Subtract 200 from both sides.

Divide by -1 to eliminate negatives.

56 = x
 Ex. 4: Using Theorem 10.14
 
Because MN and MLN make a
whole circle, m MLN =360°-92°=268°
M

92° x° P
L

• Find the value of x

N
Solution:

 
mGHF = ½ m(MLN - m MN ) Apply Theorem 10.14

= ½ (268 - 92) Substitute values.

= ½ (176) Subtract

= 88 Multiply