Geometry: Circles

Line from centre to a chord

A straight line drawn from the centre of a circle to bisect a chord which is not a diameter is at right angles to the chord

The perpendicular to a chord from the center bisects the chord

Distance of a chord from the centre

Equal chords are equidistant from the center

Chords equidistant from the center are equal

Tangent and radius

The tangent at any point of a circle and the radius through the point are perpendicular to each other

Two circles which touch

If two circles touch, the point of contact lies on the straight line joining their centers

Tangents from a point outside a circle

From any point outside a circle tangents can be drawn and they are equal in length

Chords and tangents

If a chord and a tangent intersect externally, then the product of the lengths of segments of the chord is equal to the square of the length of the tangent from the point of contact to the point of intersection

If a line touches a circle and from the point of contact, a chord is drawn, the angles between the tangent and the chord are respectively equal to the angles in the corresponding alternate segments

Angle of an arc at the center

The angle that an arc of a circle subtends at the center is double that which it subtends at any point on the remaining part of the circle

Angles in the same segment of a circle

Angles in the same segment of a circle are equal

Angle in a semi-circle

Angle in a semi-circle is a right angle

Two arcs which subtend equal angles at the centre

If two arcs subtend equal angles at the centre, they are equal

Conversely, if two arcs are equal, they subtend equal angles at the centre

Chords and arcs

If two chords are equal, they cut off equal arcs

Conversely, if two chords cut off equal arcs, then the two chords are equal

Chords and segments

If two chords intersect internally or externally then the product of the lengths of the segments are equal