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Lesson 10 of 11

8 min

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Keep the table beside you. The right angle at the contact point unlocks most of these questions.

Eight ideas one touching line lets you prove
IdeaHow it goes
The tangentTouches at one point, does not cross.
The countDistance vs radius: less none, equal one, more two.
The square cornerRadius ⊥ tangent at the contact point — proved.
The lengthtangent² = distance² − radius².
The equal pairTwo tangents from one outside point are equal — proved.
The taggingEqual tangent pieces at each vertex of a quadrilateral round a circle.
The kiteJunction angle plus centre angle add to 180°.
One line, two jobsA chord of one circle can touch a smaller, same-centre circle.

In this chapter, what is a tangent?

  • A line that cuts the circle at two points
  • Any line through a point on the circle
  • A line that touches the circle at one point

Three points sit 3, 5 and 7 cm from a centre. The radius is 5 cm. How many tangents through each?

  • 0, 1, 2
  • 1, 1, 2
  • 2, 2, 2

A tangent touches a circle at T. Q is another point on that same tangent line. Where does Q lie?

  • On the circle
  • Outside the circle
  • Inside the circle

P is 10 cm from a centre of radius 6 cm. Find the tangent length from P.

  • 4 cm
  • 8 cm
  • 16 cm

P is 13 cm from a centre. A tangent from P is 12 cm long. What is the radius?

  • 13 cm
  • 12 cm
  • 5 cm

Two tangents from P touch a circle at A and B. PA is 9 cm. What is PB?

  • 4.5 cm
  • Not enough information
  • 9 cm

A circle touches all four sides of ABCD. AB = 8, BC = 6, CD = 10. Find DA.

  • 8 cm
  • 10 cm
  • 12 cm

Two tangents from P meet at 100°. Find the angle between the radii at the centre.

  • 100°
  • 80°
  • 260°

Concentric circles have radii 29 cm and 21 cm. Find the chord of the larger circle that touches the smaller one.

  • 8 cm
  • 40 cm
  • 50 cm

Chapter 10 of your Mathematics book is Circles. You have proved both of its theorems yourself.

Next: Areas Related to Circles — sectors and segments of the same circles.

Reveal every answer to finish this lesson.