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Igcse: Equations of Circles
Igcse: Equations of Circles
Igcse: Equations of Circles
Dr J Frost (jfrost@tiffin.kingston.sch.uk)
Objectives: Determine the equation of a circle given its radius
and centre, or given an equation in the incorrect form.
Use coordinate geometry/Pythagoras to establish the
centre/radius of a circle.
Determine the equation of the tangent of a circle.
#2:
Find for given and vice
versa
𝐵 (15,5)
What is the:
a) Centre of and ?
𝐴(3,0)
b) The length ? ?
?
RECAP of GCSE
x2 + y2 =? 25
5
The equation of a circle with
𝑥 centre at the origin and radius
-5 5 r is:
-5
Quickfire Circles
1 3 4
-1 1 -3 ? 3 -4 4
-1 -3 -4
x2 + y?2 = 1 x2 + y 2 = 9 x2 + y?
2
= 16
8 10 6
-8 ? 8 -10 10 -6 ? 6
-8 -10 -6
x2 + y2 = 64 x2 + y?
2
= 100 x2 + y2 = 36
Proof
𝑟
𝑦
𝑟
𝑥 𝑥2 + 𝑦?2 = 𝑟 2
𝑥
Equation of a circle
𝑏)
(𝑎,
𝑥 ( 𝑥 − 𝑎 ) 2 + ( ?𝑦 − 𝑏 ) = 𝑟2 2
?
Test Your Understanding
A circle has centre and radius . Find AQA Practice Paper Set 2 Paper 2
the coordinates of the points on the The diagram shows a sketch of the circle .
circle where . The line intersects the circle at the points
and . Show that
When :
?
Does the circle with equation pass
through the point ?
Since it is not on ?
the circle.
Exercise 1
1 Question 1: Write down the equation of each of these 4 Question 4: [AQA] A circle has
circles: equation
Show that the point lies on the circle.
(a) Centre (0,3) radius 2. ?
(b) Centre (1, -5) radius 4 ? ?
Question 5: [AQA] The point lies on
the circle
(c)
(d)
Centre (-3, 4) radius
Centre (8, 15) radius 17
? 5
?
Does the circle pass through the origin? Show working Work out the two possible values of .
to support your answer. Yes as
?
2
Question 2: Write down the centre and radius of each of ?
Question 6: [Jan 2013 Paper 2] Match
these circles. each statement with an equation. You
6
will not use all the equations.
(e) Centre (0,0) Radius = 6 ?
(f)
(g)
Centre (3,4) Radius = 10
Centre (-5,0) Radius
?
?
Question 3: Determine whether the point lies on each of
3 these circles.
(h) on Yes. ?
(i) on x No. ? ?
Exercise 1
9 Question 9: [AQA]
7 Question 7: [Jan 2012 Paper 2] A circle has Circle A has equation:
the equation . Work out its circumference. Circle has equation
Radius = 6 Circumference = (a) Work out the distance between the centres of
?
Question 8: [June 2013 Paper 2] The circle
the circles.
?
#3: Determine radius and centre using geom/Pythag
We’ve seen how we can get the radius/centre of a circle using the equation of the
circle. But sometimes we need to used coordinate geometry or Pythagoras to
determine them, so that we can get the equation of the circle.
𝐵
Example: and are points on a
circle and is a diameter of the
circle.
a) Determine the centre and
radius of the circle. 𝐴
b) Hence find the equation of
the circle.
11
12
5
4
𝑎
3
5
5 7
7
3 2
𝑎
?
Exercise 2
Question 6: [June 2012 Paper 2 Q14] Question 7: A circle passes through the
The sketch shows a circle, centre C, points (0,3) and (0,11) and has centre
radius 5. The circle passes through the (6,k).
points A(-2,8) and B(6,8). The -axis is a
tangent to the circle. (a) Work out the value of . Sol: 7?
Work out the equation of the circle. (b) Hence find the equation of the
circle.
Using Pythagoras, centre is . ?
Equation:
Exercise 2
Question 8: AB is a diameter of the circle ABC.
Question 9: ABCD is a square. is the
Work out the value of . (Hint: What do you point (5,13). is the point (5,5). The
know about the line AC relative to CB? Can you circle touches the sides of the square.
find an equation of the line CB?) Work out the equation of the circle.
Gradient of AC = gradient of CB = -2 Length AC = 8. If is side of square,
Equation of : then , therefore .
Thus radius of circle
Subbing (6, k) in:
? Equation:
?
#4 :: Completing the square to find radius/centre
Jan 2013 Paper 1 Q14
?
So centre is and radius is
Test Your Understanding
The circle C, with centre at the point A, has equation x2 + y2 – 10x + 9 = 0.
Find
(a) the coordinates of A,
(b) the radius of C,
(c) the coordinates of the points at which C crosses the x-axis.
Tip: Put the terms together first and the terms together.
?
Mini Exercise
?
?
?
?
If a line has gradient and passes through the point then it has
equation:
?
Example Question
The equation of this circle is
is a point on the circle.
Work out the equation of the tangent to the circle at , in the form
Point: (4,2)
Gradient?
Gradient of radius is
?
Gradient of tangent
Another Example
Two points on the circumference of a circle are (2,0) and (0,4). If the centre of
the circle is , determine .
Gradient of chord:
Midpoint of chord: (1,2)
Gradient of radius
Equation of radius:
,𝑘)
(6
If :
Diagram ? Working ?
4
2
Test Your Understanding
The equation of this circle, centre C, is Points and form a chord of a circle. If
the centre of the circle is at , find .
(a) Show working to explain why is a
tangent to the circle.
(b) Show that the length is equal to
Midpoint =
the radius of the circle.
Gradient of AB
Gradient of radius
Equation of radius:
If :
?
Gradient of OP =
Gradient of
line is perpendicular to the
radius.
?
Exercise 3
Question 1: [AQA Practice Paper] The sketch
Question 2: [AQA Practice Paper] The sketch
show point on a circle, centre C. The shows part of a circle, centre C, that intersects
equation of the tangent at P is . the axes at points and .
(a) Work out the gradient of PC. ?
(b) Work out the equation of the circle. (a) Explain why the centre of the circle lies on
Equation of PC: the line
Because is the midpoint of and the
? ?
perpendicular bisector of QR goes
through the centre of the circle.
(b) Show that the line is the perpendicular
bisector of the line .
Midpoint of : (2,2). Gradient: . Therefore
perp bis.: ?
(c) Work out the equation of the circle.
Centre: (7,7) Radius:
?
Exercise 3
Question 3: The points and form a diameter of Question 4: The diagram shows points and . is
a circle. The point is another point on the circle. the centre of the circle and form a chord of the
circle. is the midpoint of .
(a) Determine the gradient of the line .
(a) Determine the gradient of and the
(b) Hence determine the equation of the line . coordinate of .
? (b) Hence find the equation of . ?
(c) Hence, given that the point lies on this line,
determine the value of . (10, 6) (c) Hence determine the value of .
? ?
?
(d) Find the equation of the circle.
?
𝑦 𝐶
( 9,8 )
?
𝐵 ( 10,5 )
𝐵 ( 10 , 𝑘 )
𝑀
𝐴 ( 3,5 )
𝐴 ( 4,3 ) 𝐶 ( 12 , 𝑞 )
𝑥
Exercise 3
Question 5: A line with equation is Question 6: The points and lie on
tangent to a circle at the point . the circumference of a circle, and is
(a) Determine the equation of . at the top of the circle. Determine:
(a) The centre of the circle.
(b) Determine the value of .
? ? of the circle.
(b) The equation
(c) Hence determine the equation
of the circle. ? ?
𝐵 ( 6,14 )
?
3
−1
4𝑥
𝑦 =
𝐶
𝑃
( 5,7 )
𝐴 ( 3,5 )
𝐶
(9 , 𝑘 )