TOPIC 13

Properties of Tangents of
Circles
•A tangent line that
intersects the circle at
exactly ONE point. A

•Theword tangent 

comes from the Latin

word “tangens”
meaning “touching”
B

D
C

E
Activity #1
A

1.In the given diagram,

identify the chords and B
tangents.

2. The given diagram show a C

circle with centre O. Draw the
longest chord in the circle.
Write down the special name
given to this chord.

.O
3. Use the diagram to complete the table.

T3 T5
T1

T4
•A
•B

T2

Tangent to the circle with Centre A

Tangent to the circle with centre B
Tangent to both circles
4. The given diagram shows three circles that overlap one another. For each
pair of circles, name a line segment that is a chord to both circles.

•P •Q
C E

B
F D
•
R
Activity #2
D
Let’s investigate the symmetry
properties of tangents to a circle.
1.Draw a circle and label its centre
as O. F
2.Mark a point B on the
B
circumference of the circle. . .E
3.Join the points O and B.
4.Draw the tangent CD to the circle .O
at B.
5.Measure OBC and OBD. C
6.Also draw tangents FG and QR
at points E and P respectively.
Measure the angles . R
G
between the radius and the tangent Q P
in each case.

What is the relationship between

the tangent and the radius at the
point of contact?
Activity #3

1.Draw a circle and label its centre

as O.
2.Mark a point C outside the circle.
3.Draw the tangents CB and CD
from point C to the circle.
4.Join OB, OD and OC.
5.Measure
(a) the length of BC and .O B
DC,
(b) OCB, OCD, COB
and COD
D
What conclusion can you draw?

.C
 Tangent Properties

1. A tangent to a circle
is perpendicular to
the radius through the
point of contact

2. From an external
point, two tangents
can be drawn to a
circle, which are of
equal length.
Example #1

TA and TB are tangents to the circle

with centre O. AOT = 50°. Find the
value of x and y.

Solution
x° = 90° (tangent  radius) O
x = 90
50°
ATO = 180° – x° – 50° (sum of ) x° A
= 40° B
y°

y° = ATO
= 40° T
y = 40
Example #2

TA and TB are tangents to the circle with

centre O, AT = 12 cm and OA = 5 cm. Find
the value of x and y.

Solution O 5 cm A

BT = AT (equal tangents from ext.pt.)

x = 12 12 cm
B y cm
In  AOT,
A = 90° (tangent  radius) x cm
y² = 5² + 12² (Pythagorean Theorem)
=169
T
y = √169
= 13
Example #3
In the given diagram, O is the
D C
centre of the circle, AC is a
tangent to the circle at B and OA
O
is parallel to BD. If OAC = 38°,
find OBD.
B
Solution 38°

Since OA / DB, A
DBC = OAC (corr. s)
= 38°

OBC = 90° (tangent  radius)

Thus, OBD = 90° – 38 °

= 52°
Example #4
In the given diagram, O is the centre of the circle and
the line XY is a tangent to the circle at point X. If XZW
= WXY = 25°, find
(a) WXZ
(b) XWZ X
(c) WYX
O
25°
●
Solution
25°
()a) ZXY = 90° (tangent  radius) Y
W
WXZ = 90° - 25° Z
= 65°
(b) XWZ = 180° - 25° - 65° ( sum of WXZ)
= 90°
(c) WYX = 180° - 90° - 25° ( sum of XYZ)
= 65°
Example #5
The diagram shows a circle with centre O. The line
XY is a tangent to the circle at point Z. If ZOW =
125, find the values of Y
a. WYX
b. OZV
V
Solution O

a. YOZ = 180 – 125  ( sum of a straight line) 125 Z

= 55  W
X
OZY = 90  (tangent  radius)

b. Since OZ and OV are radii of the circle, OZ =

OV. Thus OZV is an isosceles triangle.

OZV = ½ (180  - YOZ)

= ½ (180  – 55 )
= 62.5 
Example #6
In the given diagram, O is the centre of the circle. AC and C
BC are tangents to the circle at A and B respectively. If
ACB = 80, find
a. BAC b. AOB

Solution
a.Since AC and BC are tangents from the external point
C, AC = BC.
Thus, CAB is an isosceles triangle. B
BAC = ½ (180 - ACB)
= ½ (180  - 80 ) A
= 50 
O
b. Since CA and CB are tangents to the circle, OC bisects
ACB.
Thus, ACO = 80  2
= 40
CAO = CBO – 90 (tangent 
radius)
CAO = 180 – 90 - 40
= 50
AOB = 2 x 50
Activity #4

1. Given that AB and AC are tangents to the circle at B

and C respectively and O is the centre of the circle, find
the value of x in each case.

(a) B
(c)
O B
55°
x° O A
48° x°

C C

A (d)
B B
(b)

O ) 110° A O ) x°
x°
80° A
C
C