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:

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°

2Problem 2medium

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)

3Problem 3hard

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