Inscribed Angles

Angles with vertices on the circle

Inscribed Angles

Central Angle

An angle with its vertex at the center of the circle.

Measure: Equal to the measure of its intercepted arc.

Inscribed Angle

An angle with its vertex on the circle and sides containing chords.

Inscribed Angle Theorem

An inscribed angle is half the measure of its intercepted arc.

Inscribed angle=12×intercepted arc\text{Inscribed angle} = \frac{1}{2} \times \text{intercepted arc}

Corollaries

Inscribed angles that intercept the same arc are congruent.

An angle inscribed in a semicircle is a right angle (90°).

  • Because it intercepts a 180° arc
  • 180°2=90°\frac{180°}{2} = 90°

Inscribed Quadrilateral

If a quadrilateral is inscribed in a circle:

Opposite angles are supplementary (sum to 180°)

Arc-Angle Relationships

  • Central angle = arc measure
  • Inscribed angle = 12\frac{1}{2} arc measure
  • Tangent-chord angle = 12\frac{1}{2} arc measure

📚 Practice Problems

1Problem 1easy

Question:

A central angle in a circle measures 80°. Find the measure of an inscribed angle that intercepts the same arc.

💡 Show Solution

Step 1: Recall the Inscribed Angle Theorem: An inscribed angle is half the measure of the central angle that subtends the same arc

Step 2: Apply the theorem: Inscribed angle = (1/2) × Central angle Inscribed angle = (1/2) × 80° Inscribed angle = 40°

Step 3: Understand why: The inscribed angle has its vertex on the circle The central angle has its vertex at the center They both intercept the same arc

Answer: The inscribed angle measures 40°

2Problem 2easy

Question:

An inscribed angle intercepts an arc of 80°80°. Find the measure of the inscribed angle.

💡 Show Solution

Use the Inscribed Angle Theorem:

Inscribed angle=12×arc\text{Inscribed angle} = \frac{1}{2} \times \text{arc}

=12×80°= \frac{1}{2} \times 80°

=40°= 40°

Answer: The inscribed angle is 40°40°

3Problem 3easy

Question:

An inscribed angle measures 55°. What is the measure of its intercepted arc?

💡 Show Solution

Step 1: Recall the relationship: Inscribed angle = (1/2) × intercepted arc

Step 2: Set up equation: 55° = (1/2) × arc

Step 3: Solve for the arc: arc = 2 × 55° arc = 110°

Step 4: Verify: Inscribed angle = 110°/2 = 55° ✓

Answer: The intercepted arc measures 110°

4Problem 4medium

Question:

An angle is inscribed in a semicircle. What is its measure?

💡 Show Solution

A semicircle is an arc of 180°.

By the Inscribed Angle Theorem: Inscribed angle=12×180°=90°\text{Inscribed angle} = \frac{1}{2} \times 180° = 90°

Answer: The angle is 90°90° (a right angle)

5Problem 5medium

Question:

Points A, B, C are on a circle. Arc ABC (going the long way around) measures 250°. Find the measure of inscribed angle ABC.

💡 Show Solution

Step 1: Identify the intercepted arc: Inscribed angle ABC has vertex at B It intercepts arc AC (the short way)

Step 2: Find the short arc AC: Total circle = 360° Arc ABC (long way) = 250° Arc AC (short way) = 360° - 250° = 110°

Step 3: Apply Inscribed Angle Theorem: Inscribed angle = (1/2) × intercepted arc Angle ABC = (1/2) × 110° Angle ABC = 55°

Step 4: Important note: The inscribed angle intercepts the arc that does NOT contain the vertex

Answer: Angle ABC = 55°

6Problem 6medium

Question:

A quadrilateral ABCD is inscribed in a circle. Angle A = 110° and angle B = 75°. Find angles C and D.

💡 Show Solution

Step 1: Recall inscribed quadrilateral property: Opposite angles in an inscribed quadrilateral (cyclic quadrilateral) are supplementary

Step 2: Find angle C (opposite to angle A): Angle A + Angle C = 180° 110° + Angle C = 180° Angle C = 70°

Step 3: Find angle D (opposite to angle B): Angle B + Angle D = 180° 75° + Angle D = 180° Angle D = 105°

Step 4: Verify all angles sum to 360°: 110° + 75° + 70° + 105° = 360° ✓

Step 5: Verify opposite pairs: A + C = 110° + 70° = 180° ✓ B + D = 75° + 105° = 180° ✓

Answer: Angle C = 70°, Angle D = 105°

7Problem 7hard

Question:

Quadrilateral ABCD is inscribed in a circle. If A=75°\angle A = 75° and C=(2x+15)°\angle C = (2x + 15)°, find xx.

💡 Show Solution

In an inscribed quadrilateral, opposite angles are supplementary.

Angles A and C are opposite: A+C=180°\angle A + \angle C = 180°

75+(2x+15)=18075 + (2x + 15) = 180

2x+90=1802x + 90 = 180

2x=902x = 90

x=45x = 45

Verify: C=2(45)+15=105°\angle C = 2(45) + 15 = 105°, and 75°+105°=180°75° + 105° = 180°

Answer: x=45x = 45

8Problem 8hard

Question:

In circle O, chord AB is a diameter. Point C is on the circle. Prove that angle ACB is a right angle.

💡 Show Solution

Step 1: Identify what we know: AB is a diameter C is a point on the circle Need to prove: angle ACB = 90°

Step 2: Understand the intercepted arc: Since AB is a diameter, it divides the circle into two semicircles Arc ACB (going through C) is a semicircle = 180°

Step 3: Apply Inscribed Angle Theorem: Inscribed angle ACB intercepts arc AB Since AB is a diameter, arc AB = 180° (semicircle)

Angle ACB = (1/2) × 180° Angle ACB = 90°

Step 4: State the theorem: This proves Thales' Theorem: "An angle inscribed in a semicircle is a right angle"

Step 5: Why this works: Any triangle inscribed in a semicircle with the diameter as one side must be a right triangle

Step 6: Conclusion: Angle ACB = 90° ✓

This theorem is extremely useful: If you know AB is a diameter and C is any other point on the circle, triangle ABC is always a right triangle with the right angle at C

Answer: Angle ACB = 90° (proved by Inscribed Angle Theorem and the fact that a diameter creates a 180° arc)