1.

Definition
• The locus of points in a plane that are equidistant from a fixed point O, is defined as a circle.
• The fixed point is called the center of the circle and the fixed distance is called the radius.

2. Properties
1. The perpendicular bisector of any chord passes through the center of the circle.
(Converse is true. The segment joining center and midpoint of a chord is perpendicular to the
chord.).
2. Circle is symmetric about any of its diameter.
3. Two circles cannot intersect in more than two points.
4. Equal chords of circle are equidistant from the center. (Converse is true. Chords equidistant from
center are equal.)
5. The shorter chord is at more distance from the center than the longer one.

3. The tangents to circles

Properties:
1. Tangent segments from exterior points are congruent.
2. Point of contact of two tangent circles is collinear with the centers.
3. The common tangent to two circles is called direct common tangent, if their centers are on the
same side of the tangent, and is called transverse common tangent, if their centers are on the
opposite side of the tangent.
4. Let two circles have radii r1 and r2 and the distance between their centers is d, then, the length of
2
the direct common tangent is d 2   r1  r2  , and the length of the transverse common tangent
2
is d 2   r1 +r2 

r2
d 
r2 r1  r2 r1
r2

5. Two circles are said to be tangent circles if they have a unique point in contact.
6. The centers of the tangent circles are collinear with the tangent point.
7. The length of the direct common tangent of two tangent circles is 2 r r .
1 2
8. The point of intersection of two direct (transverse) tangents is collinear with centers and divides
the segment joining centers and common tangent segment in the ratio of radii.(these are called
internal (external) centers of similitude).
OP OA AP r1
= = =
OQ OC CQ r2
 D C
A A
P Q O P
O Q
B
C B
D
9. Number of the common tangents to two given circles with radii r1, r2 and distance d between
their centers is given as follows:
Case d n
1 d > r1 + r2 4
2 d = r1 + r2 3
3 r1 + r2 > d > r1 − r2 2
4 d = r1 − r2 1
5 d < r1 − r2 0

Application 1
1. Prove that the quadrilateral ABCD has a incircle iff AB + CD = AC + BD (Pitot theorem)

2. Quadrilateral ABCD is such that there exists a circle inscribed into angle BAD and tangent to the
extensions of sides BC and CD. Prove that AB + BC = AD + DC.

3. Two circles with radii R and r are tangent at C. Let their common inner tangent intersects their
common outer tangents at points A and B. Prove that AC  CB = Rr.

4. Common outer tangents AB and CD are drawn to two circles of distinct radii. Prove that quadrilateral
ABCD is a circumscribed one (cyclic).

4. Angles that subtend equal arc

Properties
1. Angle subtended by an arc, at center is double that the angle subtended at any point on the circle.
2. Angles subtended in any arc are equal. All angles that subtend same arc are equal.
3. Measure of an arc is defined as the measure of the central angle corresponding to the arc.
4. Measure of any angle with vertex on the circle is half the measure of the intercepted arcs.
5. Angles inscribed in the semicircle is right angle.

Application 2
1. Each angle of triangle ABC is smaller than 120o. Prove that inside ABC there exists a point that
serves as the vertex for three angles each of value 120o and subtending the side of the triangle
different from the sides subtended by the other angles. (This point is known as Fermat’s Torricelli
point.)
2. A circle is divided into equal arcs by n diameters. Prove that the bases of the perpendiculars dropped
from an arbitrary point M inside the circle to these diameters are vertices of a regular n-gon.

3. Points A, B, M and N on a circle are given. From point M chords MA1 and MB1 perpendicular to lines
NB and NA, respectively, are drawn. Prove that AA1 || BB1.

4. Polygon ABCDEF is an inscribed one; AB || DE and BC || EF. Prove that CD || AF.

5. The value of an angle between two chords

Properties
1. Measure of any angle with vertex in the interior of the circle is half the sum of measures of the
intercepted arcs. Let m(arc AD) = 2m and m(arc BC) = 2n, then, mAPD = mBPC = m + n.
A A

B 2m B 2m
P
m+n
2n 2n
m n m-n
C D C D

2. Measure of any angle with vertex in the exterior of the circle is half the difference of measures of
the intercepted arcs. Let m(arc AD) = 2m and m(arc BC) = 2n, then, mAPD = mBPC = m− n.
3. If A, B, C, D are concyclic points then ACB = ADB. Conversely if C and D are two points on
the same side of segment AB that subtend equal angles then A, B, C, D is concyclic. (Hint use
indirect proof).

6. The angle between a tangent and a chord

Tangent secant theorem:
Given an angle with its vertex on the circle. If one of the angles touches the circle and the other
intersects the circle in two points, then, the measure of the angle is half the measure of the
1
intercepted arc mABC = mCAD = m(arc AC).
2

C
B  2m
2
m-n 90  

A D

Application 3
1. Let chords AB and CD of a circle meet at point O outside the circle. Let B − A − O and D − C − O.
1
Let AD meets BC at P. Prove thatBAD =  BPD + BOD 
2
2. Points A, B, C, D in the indicated order are given on a circle. Let M be the midpoint of arc AB.
Denote the intersection points of chords MC and MD with chord AB by E and K. Prove that KECD is
an cyclic quadrilateral.
3. Lines PA and PB are tangent to a circle centered at O; let A and B be the tangent points. A third
tangent to the circle is drawn; it intersects with segments PA and PB at points X and Y, respectively.
Prove that the value of angle XOY does not depend on the choice of the third tangent.

4. Points A,B,C,D in the indicated order are given on a circle; points A1, B1, C1 and D1 are the midpoints
of arcs AB,BC,CD and DA, respectively. Prove that A1C1  B1D1

5. The diagonals of an isosceles trapezoid ABCD with AD || BC intersect at point P. Prove that the
center O of the circumscribed circle lies on the circumscribed circle of triangle APB.

7. Relations between the values of an angle and the lengths of the arc and chord
associated with the angle
Equal chords subtends equal angles and vise versa.

Application 4
1. Any cyclic trapezium is always isosceles.

2. From point M that moves along a circle perpendiculars MP and MQ are dropped on diameters AB
and CD, respectively. Prove that the length of segment PQ does not depend on the position of point M.

3. In triangle ABC, angle B is equal to 60o; bisectors AD and CE intersect at point O. Prove that OD =
OE.

8. The inscribed angle and similar triangles

As an arc subtends many equal angles we get many similar triangles in a cyclic quadrilateral, which
is often useful in problem solving.

Application 5
1. Points A, B, C and D on a circle are given. Lines AB and CD intersect at point M.
Prove that AC  AD  BM = BC  BD  AM.

2. Points A,B and C on a circle are given; the distance AC is greater than the distance from point B to
line l tangent to the circle at point A. Line AC intersects the line drawn through point B parallel to lat
point D.
Prove that AB2 = AC  AD.

3. Line l is tangent to the circle of diameter AB at point C; points M and N are the projections of points
A and B on line l, respectively, and D is the projection of point C on AB. Prove that OC and CD are
1
arithmetic mean and geometric mean of AM and BM. That is OC = (AM +MB) and CD2 = AM 
2
BN.
4. On arc BC of the circle circumscribed about equilateral triangle ABC, point P is taken. Segments AP
1 1 1
and BC intersect at point Q. Prove that = +
PQ PB PC

9. The bisector divides an arc in halves

The point of intersection of the bisector and arc is the midpoint of the arc.

Application 6
1. Prove that in an non isosceles triangle ABC bisector AE of A lies between median AM and height
AH.

2. In an non isosceles triangle ABC bisector AE lies between circum-diameter AN and height AH, then,
prove that HAN and A share the same bisector and HAN = |B − C| (Bhramhmagupta).

3. In triangle ABC, sides AC and BC are not equal. Prove that the bisector of angle C divides the angle
between the median and the height drawn from this vertex in halves if and only if C = 90◦.

4. It is known that in a triangle the median, the bisector and the height drawn from vertex C divide the
angle C into four equal parts. Find the angles of this triangle.

10. Cyclic quadrilateral

• The sum of the opposite angles of the cyclic quadrilateral is 180o. Hence its exterior angle is
congruent to its interior opposite angle.
• If a line segment joining two points subtends congruent angles at two other points lying on the
same side of the segment, then four points are con cyclic.
• For any five points P, A, B, C, D in the plane PA  PB = PC  PD  ABCD is cyclic.
• If for any ABCD, AB  CD + AD  BC = AC  BD  ABCD is cyclic. (These are 4 ways to
prove the given quadrilateral cyclic)
• Any cyclic trapezium is always isosceles.
• Any cyclic parallelogram is a rectangle.

Application 7
1. From an arbitrary point M on leg BC of right triangle ABC perpendicular MN is dropped on
hypothenuse AB. Prove thatMAN = MCN.

2. The diagonals of trapezoid ABCD with bases AD and BC intersect at point O; points B' and C' are
symmetric through the bisector of angle BOC to vertices B and C, respectively. Prove that  C' AC
=  B' DB.

3. The extensions of sides AB and CD of the inscribed quadrilateral ABCD meet at point P; the
extensions of sides BC and AD meet at point Q. Prove that the intersection points of the bisectors of
anglesAQB andBPC with the sides of the quadrilateral are vertices of a rhombus.
4. The inscribed circle of triangle ABC is tangent to sides AB and AC at points M and N, respectively.
Let P be the intersection point of line MN with the bisector (or its extension) of angle B.
Prove that: a)BPC = 90o ; b) SABP : SABC = 1 : 2.

5. Inside quadrilateral ABCD a point M is taken so that ABMD is a parallelogram.

Prove that if CBM = CDM, then ACD = BCM.

6. (Bhramhgupta) If diagonals of a cyclic quadrilateral are perpendicular to each other, show that the
line passing through the point of intersection of the diagonals and the midpoint of a side, is
perpendicular to the opposite side. Is converse true?

11. Power of point

• Let P be a point outside a circle. Let secants from P cut the circle at A, B and C, D respectively
and let PT be the tangent then PT2 = [Link] = [Link] and is called as power of the point P with
respect to the given circle.
T P
A C
B

D
• Conversely if two segments AB and CD, intersecting at P such that AP · BP = CP · DP, then A,
B, C, D are concyclic.
• Hence if P be the intersection point of diagonals of convex quadrilateral ABCD, then,
quadrilateral ABCD is an inscribed one (cyclic) if and only
If APB  DPC, i.e., PA  PC = PB  PD
• Let P be a point inside a circle. Let chords from P cut the circle at A, B and C, D respectively
AP  BP = CP  DP and is called as power of the point P with respect to the given circle.
• The power of the point P with respect to the circle is |r2 – d2| where d is the distance between the
center of the circle and P.

Application 8
1. Through a point P lying on the common chord AB of two intersecting circles chord KM of the first
circle and chord LN of the second circle are drawn. Prove that quadrilateral KLMN is an inscribed
one.

2. Two circles intersect at points A and B; let MN be their common tangent. Prove that line AB divides
MN in halves.

3. Line OA is tangent to a circle at point A and chord BC is parallel to OA. Lines OB and OC intersect
the circle for the second time at points K and L, respectively. Prove that line KL divides segment OA
in halves.

4. In parallelogram , ABCD diagonal AC is longer than diagonal BD; let M be a point on diagonal AC
such that quadrilateral BCDM is an inscribed one. Prove that line BD is a common tangent to the
circumscribed circles of triangles ABM and ADM.
5. Given circle S, C is any point on chord AB. Let S' be any circle tangent to chord AB at point C and
let it intersect circle S at points P and Q. Consider the intersection point M of lines AB and PQ. Prove
that the position of point M does not depend on the choice of circle S' .

12. Ptolemy’s theorem

In any quadrilateral ABCD, [Link] + [Link]  [Link]. The equality holds iff the quadrilateral
cyclic.

Theorem If ABCD is a quadrilateral which is not cyclic then AB. CD + [Link] > [Link]
A

O
D

X
B C

Proof : Suppose ABCD is not a cyclic quadrilateral, draw the circle ABD. Let AX be a straight line
symmetric to AD about the bisector of BAC . In other words, AX is a straight line such that
XAB  CAD . There is a unique point O on AX such that AOB  ACD . Therefore,
comparing the triangle AOB and ACD, the third pair of angle ABO and ADC must also be equal.
This means that O does not lie on BC (otherwise ABCD becomes a cyclic quadrilateral).
AO AB OB
ΔAOB  ΔACD gives   (1)
AC AD CD
OC AC
Also, ΔOAC  ΔBAD , gives  (2)
BD AD
Hence [Link] = [Link] < (OB + BC). AD = [Link] + BC. AD
= AB. CD + BC. AD. from (1)
If ABCD is cyclic we must have O lying on BC and OC = OB + BC.
AC. BD = OC. AD = (OB + BC). AD = OB. AD + BC. AD = AB. CD + BC. AD
Corollary- Quadrilateral ABCD is cyclic iff AC. BD = [Link] +AD. BC
Application 9
1. On arc CD of the circumscribed circle of square ABCD point P is taken. Prove that PA + PC = 2
PB.

2. If ABC is an equilateral triangle with point P as any point on the minor arc BC, then PB + PC =
PA.

3. Diagonal AC of square ABCD coincides with the hypothenuse of right triangle ACK, so that points B
AK - CK AK +CK
and K lie on one side of line AC. Prove that BK = and DK =
2 2
 1 1 1
4. Let  be a n sided regular polygon with vertices A1, A2, A3....An such that = + .
A1 A2 A1 A4 A1 A3
Then find the number of sides n.

AC AB× AD+CB×CD
5. Quadrilateral ABCD is an inscribed one. Prove that =
BD BA× BC + DA× DC

6. Parallelogram ABCD is given. A circle passing through point A intersects segments AB, AC and AD
at points P,Q and R, respectively. Prove that AP  AB + AR  AD = AQ  AC.

Problem set
1. Prove that all the angles formed by the sides and diagonals of a regular n-gon are integer multiples of
180o/n.

2. Let ABC be a triangle with AB  BC. Draw the interior(exterior) angle bisector of A and the
perpendicular bisector of BC. Let them meet at M(Mo). Then M(Mo) lies on the circumcircle of ABC

3. Two circles intersect in points P and Q. Through point A on the first circle lines AP and AQ are
drawn. The lines intersect the second circle in points B and C. Prove that the tangent at A to the first
circle is parallel to line BC.

4. Circles S1 and S2 intersect at points A and P. Tangent AB to circle S1 is drawn through point A, and
line CD parallel to AB is drawn through point P such that points B and C lie on S2, point D on S1.
Prove that ABCD is a parallelogram.

5. In ABC, AB > AC .The tangent at point A to the circumscribed circle of triangle ABC intersects line
BC at point E; let AD be the bisector of  CAB with point D on BC. Prove that AE = ED.

6. Circles S1and S2 intersect at point A. Through point A a line that intersects S1 at point B and S2 at
point C is drawn. Through points C and B tangents to the circles are drawn; the tangents intersect at
point D. Prove that angle  BDC does not depend on the choice of the line that passes through A.

7. Two circles intersect at points M and K. Lines AB and CD are drawn through M and K, respectively;
they intersect the first circle at points A and C, the second circle at points B and D, respectively.
Prove that AC || BD.

8. Point O inside triangle ABC is such that lines AO, BO and CO pass through the centers of the
circumscribed circles of triangles BCO, ACO and ABO, respectively. Prove that O is the center of the
inscribed circle of triangle ABC.

9. In triangle ABC medians AA1 and BB1 are drawn. Prove that if  CAA1 =  CBB1, then AC = BC.
10. Two circles with centers A and C and radii 18 and 5 respectively, are internally tangent at point T. let
radius AB of larger circle is tangent to the smaller circle at P. find the ratio in which P divides the
radius AB.
F
B
11. If point O is the center of the circle in the adjoining figure, then, D
Show that  AOC =  AFC +  AEC. E
O

A
C

12. Point Q is the center of the circle. Segment BA is the diameter. Let P be D
the point on AB such that C
E
B − A − P and AP = AQ. Let PC be tangent at C and tangent at A meet
PC, BC at E, D respectively, then, prove that  CDE is equilateral. B Q A P

13. D, E, F are the midpoints of the sides AB, BC, CA respectively of 

ABC. If AP is the altitude, then show that DPEF is cyclic.
T

14. Two circles intersect at A, B. Transversals through A intersects the circles at P

P, Q and R, S. Let segments RP and SQ meet at point T, then show that R

A
S

a) BSTR is cyclic.
Q
b) [Link] + [Link] = [Link] B

15. Let ABC be an acute triangle inscribed in circle. Let X be the midpoint of the arc BC not containing A
and define Y, Z similarly. Show that the orthocenter of XY Z is the incenter I of ABC.

16. Let P be a point inside circle  . Consider the set of chords of  that contain P. Prove that their
midpoints all lie on a circle.
 WINDOW TO RMO

1. Let ABCD be a rectangle with AB = a and BC = b. Suppose r1 is the radius of the circle passing
through A and B and touching CD; and similarly r2 is the radius of the circle passing through B and C
5
and touching AD. Show that r1 +r2   a+b  (RMO 1993)
8

2. The circumference of the circle is divided into eight arcs by a convex quadrilateral ABCD, with four
arcs lying inside the quadrilateral and the remaining four lying outside it. The lengths of the arcs
lying inside the quadrilateral are denoted by p, q, r, s in counter clockwise direction. Suppose p + r =
q + s. Prove that ABCD is a cyclic quadrilateral. (RMO 2002)

3. In ABC point D is the midpoint of the segment BC and  ADB = 45o while  ACD = 30o, then find
 BAD. (RMO 2005)

4. In ABC, BE  AC, the bisector of  BAC meet BC at D, then prove that  CED > 45o.
(RMO 2007)

5. F, D be the midpoints of the sides AB, and BC of ABC. The perpendicular to AC from F and the
perpendicular to BC at B meet at point N, then prove that ND is the circum-radius. (RMO 2008)

6. Let ABC be a triangle. Let D, E, F be points respectively on the segments BC, CA, AB such that AD,
BE,CF concur at the point K. Suppose BD/DC = BF/FA and  ADB =  AFC.
Prove that  ABE =  CAD. (RMO2010)

7. Let ABC be a triangle. Let X be on the segment BC such that AB = AX.

Let AX meet the circumcircle  of triangle ABC again at D. Show that the circumcenter of BDX
lies on  . (CRMO 2014 p3)

8. PS be a line segment of length 4 and midpoint O. Let X be the midpoint of a semicircular arc with PS
as diameter. Q and R be the points on the arcs PXS such that QR || PS and semicircular arc is drawn
with QR as diameter touches PS, then find the area of the region QXROQ bounded by the two
semicircular arcs. (preRmo 2012)

9. Let ABCD be a unit square. Draw a quadrant of a circle with A as centre and B;D as end points of the
arc. Similarly, draw a quadrant of a circle with B as centre and A; C as end points of the arc. Inscribe
a circle  touching the arc AC internally, the arc BD internally and also touching the side AB. Find
the radius of the circle  . (RMO 2012 p2)

10. Let ABCD be a unit square. Draw a quadrant of a circle with A as centre and B; D as end points of
the arc. Similarly, draw a quadrant of a circle with B as centre and A; C as end points of the arc.
Inscribe a circle  touching the arcs AC and BD both externally and also touching the side CD. Find
the radius of the circle  . (RMO 2012 p3)
11. Let ABC be an isosceles triangle with AB = AC and let  denote its circumcircle. A point D is on the
arc AB of  not containing C and a point E is on the arc AC of  not containing B such that
AD = CE. Prove that BE is parallel to AD. (Mumbai RMO2013)

12. Let S be a circle with centre O. A chord AB, not a diameter, divides S into two regions R1 and R2
such that O belongs to R2. Let S1 be a circle with centre in R1, touching AB at X and S internally. Let
S2 be a circle with centre in R2, touching AB at Y, the circle S internally and passing through the
centre of S. The point X lies on the diameter passing through the centre of S2 and  YXO = 30. If the
radius of S2 is 100 then what is the radius of S1 ? (preRMO 2013)

13. Three circles with centers A, B, C and radii a, b, c respectively, are pairwise externally tangent. Let
line l be a direct common tangent to all three circles. Let A',B',C ' be the projections of A, B, C
1 1 1
respectively on l. Let A'  C'  B ' , then, prove that = + (INMO)
c a b
 ANSWER KEY

Window to RMO

3 1
9. 10.
8 16