Circle theorems worksheet — GCSE Higher

1.From an external point P, two tangents PA and PB touch a circle with centre O at A and B. Angle AOB = 112°. Work out the size of angle APB.

2.A circle with centre O has radius 17 cm. A chord AB is drawn so that the perpendicular distance from O to AB is 8 cm. Work out the length of the chord AB.

3.A ferris wheel's circular frame has centre O. A support strut runs from O to a point A on the rim, and a second strut runs from O to point B on the rim, with angle AOB = 76°. A cabin is mounted at point C on the major arc AB, and D is a separate point on the minor arc AB. Work out the difference between angle ACB and angle ADB.

4.From an external point P, two tangents PA and PB touch a circle with centre O at A and B. Angle APB = 40°. Work out the size of angle AOB.

5.From an external point P, two tangents PA and PB touch a circle with centre O at the points A and B. Angle APB = 46°. C is a point on the major arc AB, the arc on the opposite side of AB from P. Work out the size of angle ACB.

6.A, B and C are points on a circle with centre O, and AC is a diameter of the circle. Work out the size of angle ABC.

7.A skateboard ramp is designed so that a straight rail RT is tangent to a circular curve at the point T, and TC is a chord of the curve from T to another point C on the curve. A second rail continues straight through T on the other side, so that the two rails together form a straight line, and the angle between that second rail and the chord TC is 109°. A support point D is placed on the curve, on the major arc TC. Work out the size of angle TDC, the angle subtended by the chord TC at D.

8.A, B, C and D are points on a circle, and ABCD is a cyclic quadrilateral with the vertices in that order around the circle. Angle ABC = 108° and angle ADC = 72°. Which circle theorem is the reason that angle ABC + angle ADC = 180°?

9.Points A, B, C and D lie on a circle with centre O, in that order around the circle, and AC is a diameter. Which of the following circle facts does NOT apply to this diagram?

10.From an external point P, two tangents PA and PB touch a circle with centre O at points A and B. Angle APB = 44°. C is a point on the major arc AB. Using the fact that PA = PB, and the alternate segment theorem, work out the size of angle ACB.

11.ABCD is a cyclic quadrilateral, with its vertices in that order around the circle. Angle DAB = (2x + 10)° and angle DCB = (3x − 5)°. Work out the size of angle DAB.

12.AT is a diameter of a circle with centre O. PT is a tangent to the circle at the point T, and P is a point on this tangent such that A, T and P form a triangle. Angle PAT = 28°. Work out the size of angle APT.

13.A student is proving that opposite angles of a cyclic quadrilateral ABCD sum to 180°, letting a = angle DAB and c = angle BCD, and using the fact that the angle at the centre is twice the angle at the circumference. She has already written: 'By the angle at the centre theorem, the reflex angle BOD equals 2a and the non-reflex angle BOD equals 2c.' Which statement must come immediately after this one in a correct proof?

14.ABCD is a cyclic quadrilateral, with its vertices in that order around the circle. Angle DAB = 108°. Work out the size of angle BCD.

15.A, B and C are points on a circle with centre O. B is on the major arc AC. Angle AOC = 116°. Work out the size of angle ABC.