Circles Notes
Circles Notes
A brief introduction to circles for Class 10 is provided here. Get the complete description
provided here to learn about the concept of the circle. Also, learn how to draw a tangent to the
circle with various theorems and examples.
The Class 10 Maths Chapter 10, ‘Circles’, covers concepts such as introduction to the circles,
tangent to a circle, and the number of tangents from a point on a circle.
Introduction to Circles
As we know that a circle is a closed two-dimensional geometrical figure, such that all points on
the surface of a circle are equidistant from the point called the “centre”. The distance from the
centre to any point on the surface of a circle is called “Radius”.
Tangent
A tangent to a circle is a line that touches the circle at exactly one point. For every point on the
circle, there is a unique tangent passing through it.
Tangent
Secant
A secant to a circle is a line that has two points in common with the circle. It cuts the circle at
two points, forming a chord of the circle.
Secant
Tangent as a Special Case of Secant
Theorems
Length of a Tangent
The length of the tangent from the point (Say P) to the circle is defined as the segment of the
tangent from the external point P to the point of tangency I with the circle. In this case, PI is the
tangent length.
The two tangents formed here are PQ ad PR on the circle from the point P as shown in the figure.
According to the theorem “The tangent to the circle at any point is perpendicular to the radius of
the circle that passes through the point of contact”, the angles formed between the tangents
and radii are right angles.
So, two right angles are formed, such as ∠OQP and ∠ORP.
Thus, from the radii of the same circle, we can write OQ = OR.
∆ OQP ≅ ∆ ORP
Thus, the two important theorems in Class 10 Maths Chapter 10 Circles are:
Theorem 10.1: The tangent at any point of a circle is perpendicular to the radius through the
point of contact.
Theorem 10.2: The lengths of tangents drawn from an external point to a circle are equal.
Interesting facts about Circles and its properties are listed below:
In two concentric circles, the chord of the larger circle, which touches the smaller circle, is
bisected at the point of contact.
The tangents drawn at the ends of a diameter of a circle are parallel.
The perpendicular at the point of contact to the tangent to a circle passes through the
centre.
The angle between the two tangents drawn from an external point to a circle is
supplementary to the angle subtended by the line segment joining the points of contact at
the centre.
The parallelogram circumscribing a circle is a rhombus.
The opposite sides of a quadrilateral circumscribing a circle subtend supplementary angles
at the centre of the circle.