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Chapter 10 Circles

Circle
A circle is a collection of all points in a plane which are at a constant distance from a fixed point.

This fixed point is called centre of the circle and constant

distance is called radius of the circle.

B A
O

Some Important Terms Related to Circle

Chord
A line segment joining any two points on a circle is

called a chord of the circle. The maximum length of the

chord is equal to the length of the diameter.

The Chord of maximum length in a Circle is called:

(A) Radius (B) Arc

(C) Diameter (D) Point

Arc
A continuous piece of a circle is called an arc.

Semi-circle

Circumference
The length of the complete circle is called the circumference of the circle.

Segment

Major Segment

A B
\

Minor Segment

Sector

Major Sector
O

Minor
Sector
A B
Important Results Related to Circle

(i) The perpendicular drawn from the centre of a circle to a chord

bisects it.

Q.Radius of a circle is 13cm. A chord is 12cm away from its centre, then the length of the
chord is:

(a)12cm
(b)13cm
(c)5cm
(d)10cm

(ii) The line drawn through the centre of a circle to bisect a chord is

perpendicular to it.

(iii) Equal chords of a circle are equidistant from the centre.

(iv) The angle subtended by an arc (or corresponding chord) at

the centre of the circle is twice the angle subtended by the same

arc at any point on the remaining part of the circle.

C

O
2θ

A B
 In the following figure-9.71 O is the centre of circle and ∠ACB=x, ∠OBA=yº then the value of
xº +yº is:

Figure 9.71

(A) 90° (B) 120°

(C) 150° (D) 180°

(v) Equal chords of a circle subtend equal angles at the centre.

(vi) The angle in a semi-circle is a right angle.

(vii) Angles in the same segment of a circle are equal

(viii) The sum of any pair of opposite angles of a cyclic quadrilateral is

180°.
Q. In the figure, ST is a tangent to the circle at S and PQRS is a cyclic quadrilateral then the
value of

(a)10o
(b)20o
(c)30o
(d)40o

(ix) If two circles intersect in two points, then the line through the
centres is the perpendicular bisector of the common chord.

Tangent to a Circle
The word 'tangent' has been derived from the Latin word ‘tangere' which means 'to touch' and it
was introduced by the Danish Mathematician Thomas Fincke in 1583.

P Tangent line
Point of contact
Thus, a tangent to a circle is a line that intersects or touches the circle at only one point. The
common point of the tangent and the circle is called the point of contact.

Also, we can say that the tangent to a circle is a special case of the secant, when the two end points
of its corresponding chord coincide.

Note • There is only one tangent at a point of the circle.

• A circle can have maximum two parallel tangents which can be drawn to the opposite side
of the centre.

Secant

Relation between Secant and Tangent

Theorem
The tangent at any point of a circle is perpendicular to the radius through the point of contact.
.In figure, AB is a chord of circle, and PQ is a tangent at point B of the circle. If ∠AOB = 110°,
then find∠ABQ.

Ans: 55°

In the given figure. find the value of x°.

A

x° 30° B
O

Example. A tangent PQ at a point P of a circle of radius 5 cm meets a line through the centre O at a

point Q such that PQ = 12 cm. Find the length of OQ.

Example If PQ is a tangent to a circle with centre O and radius 6 cm such that ∠PQO = 60°, then find
the length of a tangent PQ and a line OQ.

Q.In the given figure, AT is a tangent to the circle with centre O such that OT = 4cm and ∠OTA = 30°.
Find the length of AT.

4cm

A 30° T

Number of Tangents from a Point on a Circle

The number of tangents drawn from a point on a circle depends upon the position of the point with
respect to the circle. So. three cases are possible.

[Case I] When point 'P' lies outside the circle. If point

T1(Tangent)
P lies outside the circle, then two tangents can be drawn

to the circle from point P. Hence, there are exactly two

P
tangents (PT1 and PT2) from a point lying outside the circle.
T2(Tangent)

[Case II] When point 'P' lies on the circle. If point P lies on

the circle, then there is one and only one line passing through

point P which touch the circle in one point. Hence, there is

one and only one tangent to the circle passing through a

point P lying on the circle and this point P will be its point of P Tangent
contact.

[Case III] When point 'P' lies inside the circle. If a point

P lies inside the circle, then any line passing through the No
P
Tengent
point P will intersect the circle at two points. Hence, there

is no tangent to a circle passing through a point lying

inside the circle.

If the radius of a circle is 5 cm. then find the distance between two parallel tangents.

(Theorem)
The lengths of two tangents drawn from an external point to a circle are equal.

In the given figure, AP and BP are tangents to a circle with centre O, such that AP = 5 cm and
∠APB =60°.
Find the length of chard AB.
Ans: AB = PB = PA = 5cm

In the given figure, O is the centre of the circumcircle of triangle XYZ Tangents at X and Y
intersect at T. Given ∠XTY = 80° and ∠XOZ =140°. Find the value of ∠ ZXY.
Ans: ∠𝑍𝑋𝑌 = 60°

In the given figure, PA and PB are tangents to the circle from an external point P. CD is
another tangent touching the circle at Q. If PA= 12 cm, QC = QD = 3 cm, then find PC + PD.

Ans: 18 cm
 In the given figure, PQ is a chord of a circle with centre O and PT is a tangent. If ∠QPT= 60°,
then find ∠PRQ.
Ans: 120°

In the adjoining figure, an isosceles ,∆ABC with AB= AC, circumscribes a circle. Prove that point of
contact P bisects the base BC. CBSE 2008, 15
A

R Q

B C
P
In figure, PA and PB are two tangents drawn from an external point P to a circle with centre
C and radius 4 cm. if PA ⊥ 𝑃𝐵, then find the length of each tangent.

12. A circle is inscribed in a ∆ABC having sides 16 cm, 20 cm and 24 cm as shown in figure.
Find AD, BE and CF.

Ans: AD = 14cm, BE = 10cm and CF = 6 cm.

In the figure. PQ is a tangent to the circle with centre at O, at the point B. If ∠AOB = 100°,

Then ∠ABP is equal to:

(a) 50° (b) 40°

(c) 60° (d) 80°

[CBSE 2020]

O
A 100°
Q
B
P
Ans.(a) 50°

If PA and PB are tangents to the circle with centre O such that ∠𝐴𝑃𝐵=500, find the ∠𝑂𝐴𝐵.

In Figure PQ is a chord of a circle with centre O and PT is a tangent, If QPT = 60°, find PRQ.

R
P T

Ans. 120°

In the given figure, PT and PM are two tangents to the circle with centre O. If OT = 6 cm and

OP = 10 cm, then find the length of PT and PM.

T
6cm
10cm
O P
From a point P which is at a distance of 13 cm from the centre O of a circle of radius 5 cm, the pair
of tangents PQ and PR to the circle are drawn. Then the area of the quadrilateral PQOR is

(a) 60 cm2 (b) 65 cm2

(c) 30 cm2 (d) 32.5 cm2

The chord of a circle of radius 10 cm subtends a right angle at its centre. The length of the chord (in

cm) is?

(a) 10 cm (b) 10√2 cm

(c) 20 cm (d) 12 cm

Ans. (b) 10√2 cm

If radii of concentric circles are 4 cm and 5 cm, then find the length of each chord of one

circle which is tangent to the other circle.

(a) 8 cm (b) 6 cm

(c) 10 cm (d) 12 cm

Ans. (b) 6 cm

In given figure, a quadrilateral ABCD Is drawn to circumscribe a circle, with centre O. in such a way

that the sides AB, BC, CD and DA touch the circle at the points P, Q, R and C respectively. Prove that.

AB + CD = BC + DA. D R C

S Q
O

A P B
. In the adjoining figure, a circle touches all the four sides of a quadrilateral ABCD whose three sides
are AB = 6 cm, BC = 7 cm and CD = 4cm. Find the length of AD.
D C

A B

In figure, a circle with centre O is inscribed in a quadrilateral ABCD such that, it touches the
sides BC, AB, AD and CD at points P, Q, R and S respectively. If AB = 29 cm, AD= 23 cm
∠𝐵 = 900 and DS = 5 cm, then find the radius of the circle.

In the given figure, O is the centre of two concentric circles of radii 4 cm and 6 cm, respectively. PA
and PB are tangents to the outer and inner circles, respectively. If PA = 10 cm. then find the length of
PB upto one place of decimal.
A

O P
If a circle touches the side BC of a triangle ABC at P and extended sides AB and AC at Q and R,
1
respectively. prove that AQ = 2 (BC + CA + AB)

[CBSE 2020]

From an external point P, tangents PA and PB are drawn to a circle with centre O. If CD is the tangent
to the circle at a point E and PA = 14 cm. then find the perimeter of ∆PCD.

A
C

O E P

D
B

If from an external point P of a circle with centre O, two tangent PQ and PR are drawn such
that ∠𝑄𝑃𝑅 = 1200, prove that 2PQ = PO.
If a, b and c are the sides of a right angled triangle, where c is hypotenuse, then prove that the
𝑎+𝑏−𝑐
radius r of the circle which touches the sides of the triangle is given by r = 2

If angle between two tangents drawn from a point P to a circle of radius ‘a’ and centre O is
600 then prove that AP = a√3.

In figure, the sides AB, BC and CA of triangle ABC touch a circle with centre O and radius r
at R, Q and R respectively.

Prove that:
 (i) AB + CQ = AC + BQ
1
(ii) Area (∆𝐴𝐵𝐶) = 2 (perimeter of ∆𝐴𝐵𝐶) x r

A triangle PQR is drawn to circumscribe a circle of radius 8 cm such that the segments QT
and TR, into which QR is divided by the point of contact T, are of lengths 14 cm and 16cm
respectively. If area of ∆𝑃𝑄𝑅 is 336 sq. cm, find the sides PQ and PR.

Prove that the opposite sides of a quadrilateral circumscribing a circle subtend supplementary
angles at the centre of the circle.

In the given figure, if ∠AOB = 125°, then ∠COD is equal to:

(a) 62.5° (b) 45°

(c) 35° (d) 55°

[NCERT]
A

125° B
O

D
C

Ans. (d) 55°

In the figure. PQ is a chord of length 8 cm of a circle of radius 5 cm. The tangents drawn at P and Q

intersect at T. Find the length of TP.

[CBSE 2018]

P
5cm
O R T

Q
20
Ans. TP = cm
3

In figure, l and m are two parallel tangents to a circle with centre O, touching the circle at A
and B respectively. Another tangent at C intersects the line l at D and m at E. prove that
∠𝐷𝑂𝐸 = 900.