GEOMETRY

Circle Terminology
Radius (or Radii for plural)

• The segment joining

A
the center of a circle to
a point on the circle.
O

• Example: OA
 Diameter

• A chord that passes

A
through the center of a
circle.
O

• Example: AB B
 Chord

• A segment joining two

B
points on a circle

C
A
• Example: AB
 Chord

B • A segment joining two

points on a circle

C
• Example: AB

A
 Secant
A

• A line that intersects C

the circle at exactly

two points.
O

• Example: AB
D

B
 Secant
A
C

• A line that intersects

the circle at exactly
two points.
O

• Example: AB

D
B
 Tangent
B

• A line that intersects a

C circle at exactly one
point.
A

• Example: AB
 Central Angle
A

• An angle whose vertex

is at the center of a
circle.
B

• Example: Angle ABC

C
 Inscribed Angle

• An angle whose vertex

B
A
is on a circle and
whose sides are
determined by two
C chords.

• Example: Angle ABC

 Arc

• A figure consisting of
two points on a circle
and all the points on
the circle needed to
A
connect them by a
single path.

• Example: arc AB
 Intercepted Arc

• An arc that lies in the

B
A
interior of an inscribed
angle.

C
• Example: arc AC
 Two Intercepted Arc
D

• If angle is inside the

A circle.

B
• Example: arc AC
arc DF
C
F
 Two Intercepted Arc

B
• If angle is outside the
D
circle.
A E

• Example: arc DE
arc DC
C
Investigating Measures of Angles
Related to a Circle
• Click on GSP 4.00 on the desktop.

• Follow the instructions on the handout.