Geometry Facts Circles & Cyclic Quadrilaterals

Circles, chords, secants and tangents combine to give us many relationships that are
useful in solving problems.

Power of a Point Theorem:

The simplest of these theorems pertains to two chords of a circle that intersect in the
interior of the circle.

The theorem tells us that AP PB = CP PD . This is easy to prove since APC BPD .
AP PD
We know that = .
CP PB

Before going on to the other Power of a Point Theorems, it might be worth noting
something about the angles formed by secants, chords, and tangents to circles. In the
above figure, APC BPD , since they are vertical angles, but they are both equal to
1
2
(m AC + mBD . )
1
Likewise, CDB CAB , and both have measure mBC .
2

Now lets look at two secant lines.

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Written & Compiled by John Goebel, NCSSM Problem Solving Course, 2006
 PB PD
Is it easy to show that PAD PCB , so = . When this is written as
PC PA
PB PA = PD PC , we have our second Power of a Point theorem. The angle
1
(
mAPC = m AC mBD .
2
)
Now lets look at a secant and a tangent,

1 1
We need to know that mCAB = mCB and mPCB = mCB , so we have
2 2
PC PB
PCA PBC , and = , or PC 2 = PA PB . The angle at P, has measure
PA PC
mCPB =
1
2
(m AC mBC . )
Closely related to circles are the Cyclic Quadrilaterals. These are quadrilaterals that are
inscribed in a circle, that is, their vertices are on a circle.

First, it should be obvious that A and C are supplementary, as are B and D , since
both pairs cut off opposite halves of the circle.

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Written & Compiled by John Goebel, NCSSM Problem Solving Course, 2006
Ptolemys Theorem: If ABCD is a cyclic quadrilateral, then the sum of the products of
opposite sides is equal to the product of the diagonals.

Proof: Drop segment BE so that ABE CBD .

Since BAE CDB , we know that
ABE DBC . Thus
AB BD
= AB DC = AE BD .
AE DC

Also since ADB ACB and ABD CBE

we have ABD EBC . Thus
AD EC
= AD BC = BD EC . Therefore
BD BC
AB DC + AD BC = AE BD + BD EC
= ( AE + EC ) BD = AC BD

Bretschneiders Formula: In any quadrilaterial, ABCD, with sides a, b, c, and d, the

B + D a+b+c+d
area is K = ( s a )( s b)( s c)( s d ) abcd cos 2 , where s =
2 2

Proof:

First draw diagonal AC and calculate the area of the

quadrilateral as the sum of the areas of the two
triangles formed.

1 1
K= ab sin( B) + cd sin( D)
2 2

Square this equation:

1 2 2 2 1 1
(1) K2 = a b sin ( B) + abcd sin( B) sin( D) + c 2 d 2 sin 2 ( D) .
4 2 4

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Written & Compiled by John Goebel, NCSSM Problem Solving Course, 2006
Now use the law of cosines to twice as follows:

p 2 = a 2 + b 2 2ab cos( B) = c 2 + d 2 2cd cos( D) . Rewrite this last equation as

a 2 + b 2 c 2 d 2 = 2ab cos( B) 2cd cos( D) and then square this equation, set equal to
( 2ab cos( B) 2cd cos( D) ) ( a 2 + b 2 c 2 d 2 ) = 0 . Square
2 2
zero, and write as follows:
the first term and divide through by 16 to get the following equation:

4a 2b 2 cos 2 ( B) 8abcd cos( B) cos( D) + 4c 2 d 2 cos 2 ( D) ( a 2 + b 2 c 2 d 2 )

2

(2) =0
16

Now add equations (1) and (2) :

a 2b 2 sin 2 ( B) abcd sin( B) sin( D) c 2 d 2 sin 2 ( D)

K =2
+ +
4 2 4
a 2b 2 cos 2 ( B ) abcd cos( B) cos( D ) c 2 d 2 cos 2 ( D) ( a + b c d )
2 2 2 2 2

+ +
4 2 4 16
c2d 2 ( a + b c d )
2 2 2 2 2
a 2b 2 abcd
= + ( sin( B ) sin( D ) cos( B ) cos( D ) ) +
4 2 4 16
( a 2 + b2 c2 d 2 )
2

= ( a b + c d 2abcd cos ( B + D ) )
1 2 2 2 2
4 16
4 a 2 b 2 + 4c 2 d 2 ( a 2 + b 2 c 2 d 2 )
2
abcd cos ( B + D )
=
16 2

Square the term on the left.

2a 2b 2 + 2a 2 c 2 + 2a 2 d 2 + 2b 2 c 2 + 2b 2 d 2 + 2c 2 d 2 a 4 b 4 c 4 d 4 abcd cos ( B + D )
K2 =
16 2
Now by adding and subtracting 8abcd to the numerator on the left, and some pretty fancy
factoring, we have

( a + b + c + d )(a b + c + d )(a + b c + d )(a + b + c d ) abcd abcd cos ( B + D )

K2 = .
16 2 2

a+b+c+d
Now, if s = , we have
2
abcd
K 2 = ( s a)( s b)( s c)( s d ) (1 + cos( B + D) ) . Now, using the half angle cosine
2
formula, we have

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Written & Compiled by John Goebel, NCSSM Problem Solving Course, 2006
 B+D
K 2 = ( s a )( s b)( s c)( s d ) abcd cos 2 , and finally,
2

B+D
K = ( s a )( s b)( s c )( s d ) abcd cos 2
2

Brahmaguptas Theorem: In a cyclic quadrilateral the area

a+b+c+d
K = ( s a )( s b)( s c)( s d ) , where s = .
2

Proof. Once Bretschneiders theorem has been proved, Brahmaguptas theorem follows
almost immediately, since B + D = 180 , the last term in Bretschneiders becomes
zero.

Problem Set

1. Two circles or radius 4 and 1 are externally tangent. Compute the sine of the
angle formed by their common external tangents. ARML 1986, Team 1

2. The sides of a quadrilateral are 3, 3, 4 and 8 (in some order). Two of its angles
have equal sines but unequal cosines, yet the quadrilateral cannot be inscribed in
a circle. Compute the area of the quadrilateral. ARML 1986, Team 3

3. Show that if a quadrilateral is cyclic, [that is, it is inscribable in a circle], and its
consecutive sides are a,b,c, and d, and its diagonals are p and q, then
pq (a 2
+ b 2 )( c 2 + d 2 ) . ARML 1987, Power I(c)

4. A convex n-gon will be called Pythagorean if it has integer sides, it is cyclic,

and its longest side is a diameter for its circumscribing circle. It shall be denoted
by Pn, or Pn:( a,b,), where a, b, are the lengths of its sides. We shall always
use the letter d for its longest side. [Thus P3 is a Pythagorean triangle. Note that
it would be a right triangle.]
I. [There is a theorem which states (in part) that: If a prime d is the hypotenuse of
a Pythagorean triangle, then d 2 is the hypotenuse of two Pythagorean triangles,
d 3 is the hypotenuse of three Pythagorean triangles, etc.

I. A. Find two P3s for which d = 25.

B. Find three P3s for which d = 125.

II. Ptolemys Theorem says: A convex quadrilateral is cyclic if and only if the
product of its diagonals equals the sum of the products of the two pairs of
opposite sides.

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Written & Compiled by John Goebel, NCSSM Problem Solving Course, 2006
 A. If the P3:(3,4,5) is reflected as
shown,
A quadrilateral EFGH can be formed (it
will not be a P4, as FG is not an integer).
Multiplying each side by 5 produces a P4.
Find the sides of this P4.

B. Find a P4 with two equals sides and with d = 25 that is different from the
answer to part IIA. [Note: Two Pns are not considered different if their sides are
equal, but in a different order.]

C. Show that a Pn must exist for all integers n 3 . [This may be done by
describing how to create such a Pn.]
ARML 1989 Power Question

5. The bisectors of the angles of quadrilateral ABCD are

drawn. The form quadrilateral EFGH, as shown, in which
E + F = 193o . If A > C , compute the numerical
value of A C . ARML 1989 Individual 2

6. A convex hexagon is inscribed in a circle. If its successive sides are 2, 2, 7, 7, 11,

and 11, compute the diameter of the circumscribed circle.
ARML 1989 Individual 8.

7. Nice Angles and Polygons:

Definition 1: We call an angle A nice if both sin(A) and cos(A) are rational.
Definition 2: We call a convex polygon nice if all of its interior angles are
nice.
III. A convex quadrilateral has the following properties:
1. Its sides are integers whose product is a square.
2. It can be inscribed in a circle, and can be circumscribed about (another)
circle.
Prove that this quadrilateral is nice. ARML 1991 Power Question

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Written & Compiled by John Goebel, NCSSM Problem Solving Course, 2006