Circle Theorems (Edexcel IGCSE Maths A: Higher): Exam Questions

Exam code: 4MA1

4 hours62 questions
1a
2 marks
Circle diagram with points R, S, P, Q, and centre O. Angle ROQ is 22 degrees. Note indicates the diagram is not accurately drawn.

P, Q, R and S are points on a circle, centre O
ROP is a diameter of the circle.
Angle PRQ = 22°

(i) Find the size of angle RQP

[1]

(ii) Give a reason for your answer.

[1]

1b
2 marks

(i) Find the size of angle PSQ

[1]

(ii) Give a reason for your answer.

[1]

2
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2 marks

A and B are points on a circle.

PA and PB are tangents.

q21a-paper-3h-nov-2020-aqa-gcse-maths

Work out the size of angle APB.

.....................................degrees 

3
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2 marks

A, B and C are points on a circle.

CD is a tangent to the circle.

q19-paper3h-nov2017-aqa-gcse-maths

Write down the size of angle x.
Give a reason for your answer.

............................degrees 

4
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2 marks

A, B, C, D, E and F are points on a circle.

q12-paper2h-june2017-aqa-gcse-maths

Circle the line that is a diameter of the circle.

BE

AD

AC

BF

5
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4 marks

In the diagram,

  • E, F and D are points on the circumference of the circle

  • G, D and H lie on a tangent to the circle

  • angle EFD = 55°

  • angle FDE = 43°.

q16b-paper6-nov2019-ocr-gcse-maths

Explain why angle HDF is 82°.

6a
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2 marks

A, B, C and D are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.

q16-paper5-june2017-ocr-gcse-maths

Angle BAD = 52°.

Work out angle x.
Give a reason for your answer.

x = ................................... ° reason ..................................................................................

6b
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2 marks

Work out angle y. Give a reason for your answer.

y = ................................... ° reason ..................................................................................

7
4 marks
Circle with centre O, radius OC, chord AC. Lines AB and BC form angle ABC at 52 degrees. Diagram not accurately drawn.

A and C are points on a circle, centre O.
AB and CBare tangents to the circle.
Angle ABC = 52°

Work out the size of angle x.
Give a reason for each stage of your working.

8
3 marks
Geometric diagram shows two circles, a triangle with angles labelled 48 degrees, and points A, O, C, D. Note: Diagram not accurately drawn.

A and C are points on a circle, centre O
DA is the tangent to the circle at A and DC is the tangent to the circle at C

Angle ADC = 48°

Work out the size of reflex angle AOC

1
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4 marks
q1-4-4-easy-edexcel-gcse-maths

B, C and D are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.
AB and AD are tangents to the circle.

Angle DAB = 50°

Work out the size of angle BCD.
Give a reason for each stage in your working.

2
4 marks

A and B are points on a circle, centre O.

Circle with centre O, angle AOB labelled x. Triangle ABC is outside the circle with angle ACB labelled 48 degrees.

AC and BC are tangents to the circle.

Angle ACB = 48° .

Work out the size of angle x.

Give a reason for each stage of your working

x=............°

3
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5 marks
q2-4-4-easy-edexcel-gcse-maths

S and T are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.
PT is a tangent to the circle.
SOP is a straight line.

Angle OPT= 32°

Work out the size of the angle marked x.
Give reasons for your answer.

4
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3 marks
q3-4-4-easy-edexcel-gcse-maths

A, B and D are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.
BOD is a diameter of the circle. BC and AC are tangents to the circle.
Angle OCB = 34°.

Work out the size of angle DOA.

5
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4 marks
q4-4-4-easy-edexcel-gcse-maths

A, B, C and D are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.

Angle AOC = y.

Find the size of angle ABC in terms of y.
Give a reason for each stage of your working.

6
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4 marks
q5-4-4-easy-edexcel-gcse-maths

A, B, C and D are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.
BOD is a straight line.
Angle ACD = 62°

Find the size of angle ADB.
Give a reason for each stage in your working.

7
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5 marks

The points A, B, C and D lie on a circle. CDE is a straight line.

q6-4-4-easy-edexcel-gcse-maths

BA = BD
CB = CD
Angle ABD = 40°

Work out the size of angle ADE.
You must give a reason for each stage of your working.

8
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2 marks
q3-hard-igcse-edexcel-maths

APB and CPD are chords of a circle.

AP = 14 cm            PB = 6cm             CP = 10 cm

Calculate the length of PD.

9
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3 marks
q9-4-4-hard-igcse-edexcel-maths

A, B, D and E are points on a circle. EDC and ABC are straight lines.

ED = 24 cm                       DC = 15 cm                       BC = 18 cm

Work out the length of AB.

10
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4 marks

D, E, F and G are points on a circle, centre O

q16-4ma1-2h-qp-jan22-paper2-igcse-maths

EOG is a diameter of the circle.

Angle EGD = 42°

Calculate the size of angle DFG
Give a reason for each stage of your working.

Angle DFG = ....................................................... 

11
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3 marks
q19-4ma1-2h-qp-jan22-paper2-igcse-maths

PTQ is a diameter of a circle.
RTS is a chord of the circle.

TQ=3 cm

ST = 4 cm 

TR = 12 cm

Calculate the radius of the circle.

........................................... cm

12
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2 marks
q18-ma1-2hr-qp-jan20-paper2-igcse-maths

APB and  CPD are chords of a circle.
AP = 9 cm PB = 6 cm CP = 8 cm

Calculate the length of PD.

......................cm

13
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4 marks

ABCD is a quadrilateral.

q23-paper-1h-nov-2020-aqa-gcse-maths

Prove that ABCD  is not a cyclic quadrilateral.

14
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2 marks

C, D and E are points on a circle.

XC=XD.

q21b-paper-3h-nov-2020-aqa-gcse-maths

Is  X the centre of the circle? Tick a box.

Yes              No

Show working to support your answer.

15
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1 mark

AB and C are points on a circle.

DCB is a straight line.

PAQ is a tangent to the circle.

q22-paper-3h-june-2018-aqa-gcse-maths

Sam is trying to work out the size of angle m. Here is his working.

      angle ACB = 56°m = 180°  56°m = 124°

angles in the same segment are equal

angles at a point on a straight line add up to 180°

Make a criticism of his working.

16a
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2 marks

The diagram shows a circle, centre O.

Points A, B, C and D lie on the circumference of the circle.
EDF is a tangent to the circle.
Angle ABC = 82° and angle ODC = 57°.

q19-paper5-nov2018-ocr-gcse-maths

Work out the value of x.

x = ......................

16b
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3 marks

Work out the value of y.

y = ..................

17a
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2 marks

A, B, C and D are points on the circumference of a circle.

q16-paper5-june2018-ocr-gcse-maths

PQ is a tangent to the circle at D.
Angle BDQ = 72° and angle ABD = 63°.

Work out angle x.
Give a reason for your answer.

Angle x = ...................° because ......................

17b
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2 marks

Work out angle y.
Give a reason for your answer.

Angle y = ...................° because .....................

18
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5 marks
Circle with centre O and inscribed quadrilateral ABCD. AC and BD are diagonals. DOB is the diameter of the circle. Angle DCA is 32 degrees.

A, B, C and D are points on a circle, centre O. DOB is a diameter of the circle. Angle ACD = 32°.

Work out the size of angle ADB.

Give a reason for each stage in your working.

19
5 marks
Circle with centre O, inscribed triangle ABC with angle 43° at C, and point D on the circle. Note states, "Diagram NOT accurately drawn".

A, B, C and D are points on a circle with centre O.
DOB is a diameter of the circle.
Angle ACD = 43°

Work out the size of angle ADB.
Give a reason for each stage in your working.

20
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3 marks
Circle with points T, P, Q on its edge. Line TR is tangent at T, RS is 3 cm, SQ is 5 cm, and TS is 8.5 cm. Diagram states not accurately drawn.

P, Q, S and T are points on a circle.
TSR and PQR are straight lines.

Work out the length of PQ.

21
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3 marks
Circle diagram with centre O, points A, B, C on circumference. Triangles AOC and AOB shown, angle BAC marked as 52 degrees. Text notes diagram not to scale.

A, B and Care points on a circle, centre O

Angle OAC = 52°

Find the size of angle ABC
Give reasons for your working.

1
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3 marks
q1-4-4-hard-edexcel-gcse-maths

B, C and D are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O. ABE and ADF are tangents to the circle.

Angle DAB = 40°
Angle CBE = 75°

Work out the size of angle ODC.

2
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4 marks
q2-4-4-hard-edexcel-gcse-maths

 

A, B, C and D are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.
AC is a diameter of the circle.
AC and BD intersect at E.

Angle CAB = 25°
Angle DEC = 100°

Work out the size of angle DAC.
You must show all your working.

3
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5 marks
q3-4-4-hard-edexcel-gcse-maths

P, M and S are points on a circle, centre O. RST is a tangent to the circle.

Angle PSO = 48°
MP = MS

Work out the size of angle MST.
Give reasons for each stage of your working.

4
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5 marks
q4-4-4-hard-edexcel-gcse-maths

B, C and D are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.
ABO is a straight line.
AD is the tangent at D to the circle.
Angle DAO = 40°

Work out the size of angle BCD.
Give a reason for each stage of your working.

5
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3 marks
Circle with line AC and EC going through the circle. A and E are at the circumference. The lines form triangle BDC outside. CD is 4cm, BC is 3cm, and DE is 10.5cm.

A, B, C and D are points on a circle. ABC and EDC are straight lines.

Work out the length of AB.

6
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5 marks
q5-4-4-hard-edexcel-gcse-maths

A and B are points on a circle, centre O.

BC is a tangent to the circle.
AOC is a straight line.
Angle ABO = x°.

Find the size of angle ACB, in terms of x.
Give your answer in its simplest form.
Give reasons for each stage of your working.

7
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3 marks

A, B, C and D are four points on the circumference of a circle.

q7-4-4-hard-edexcel-gcse-maths

AEC and BED are straight lines.
Prove that triangle ABE and triangle DCE are similar.
You must give reasons for each stage of your working.

8
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3 marks
q7-circle-hard-edexcel-igcse-maths

A, B and C are points on a circle.
ABP is a straight line.
QCP is a tangent to the circle.

AB = 10 cm                        BP = 8 cm

Work out the length of CP.

9
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5 marks
q8-hard-4-5-edexcel-igcse-maths

A, B and C are points on a circle, centre O.
OPC is a straight line.
APB is a chord of the circle, and bisects OC at the point P.

AP = 7.2 cm                     PB = 5.4 cm                     OP = PC.

Work out the area of the circle.

Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

10a
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3 marks
q9a-circle-hard-edexcel-igcse-maths

The points A, B, C and D lie on a circle.

ABY and DCY are straight lines.

AB = 13 cm               BY = x cm             DC = x cm              CY = 9 cm

Show that x2 + 4x – 81 = 0

10b
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4 marks

Find the length of DY.
Show your working clearly.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

11
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4 marks
q14-4ma1-1hr-qp-jan21-paper1-igcse-maths

B, D, E and F are points on a circle.

ABC is the tangent at B to the circle.
Angle ABD = 39°
Angle EFD = 18°

Work out the size of angle BDE.
Give reasons for your working.

12
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4 marks

P, Q, R and S are points on a circle.

PXR and  QXS are straight lines.
PX = SX

q20-paper-1h-nov-2018-aqa-gcse-maths

Prove that QS is not a diameter of the circle.

13
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3 marks

A, B and C are points on a circle.

  • BC bisects angle ABQ.

  • PBQ is a tangent to the circle.

q21-paper1h-specimen2015-aqa-gcse-maths

Angle CBQ = x

Prove that AC = BC

14
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4 marks

In the diagram,

  • A, B and C are points on the circumference of a circle

  • O is the centre of the circle

  • angle OAB = 15°

  • angle BCO = 10°.

q16a-paper6-nov2019-ocr-gcse-maths

Calculate the acute angle AOC.

15a
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2 marks

A, B, C and D are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.
AC is a diameter of the circle.
Angle ABD = 58°.
Angle CDB = 22°.

q16-paper4-spec2015-ocr-gcse-maths

Work out the sizes of angle ACD and ACB, giving reasons for your answers.

Angle ACD = ...........................°

15b
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3 marks

Angle ACB = ...........................°

1
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5 marks
q8-4-4-hard-edexcel-gcse-maths

A, B, D and E are points on a circle.
ABC and EDC are straight lines.

Prove that triangle BCD is similar to triangle ECA.
You must give reasons for your working.

2a
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3 marks
q9-4-4-hard-edexcel-gcse-maths

A, B, C and D are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.
FDE is a tangent to the circle.

Show that y  x = 90
You must give a reason for each stage of your working.

2b
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1 mark

Dylan was asked to give some possible values for x and y.

He said, "y could be 200 and x could be 110, because 200 − 110 = 90"

Is Dylan correct?
You must give a reason for your answer.

3
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5 marks
q5-4-4-very-hard-edexcel-gcse-maths

PQRST is a regular pentagon.
R, U and T are points on a circle, centre O.
QR and PT are tangents to the circle.
RSU is a straight line.

Prove that ST = UT.

4
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6 marks
q4-very-hard-circle-edexcel-igcse-maths

A, B, C and D are points on a circle.
APB, CPD, and BD are chords of the circle.
APB and CPD intersect perpendicularly at P.

BD = 7 cm,

AP = 5 cm,

CP = 3 cm, 

PB = x cm, 

and 

PD = y cm.

Work out the values of x and y.
Show your working clearly.
Give your answers correct to 3 significant figures.

5
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6 marks
q5-very-hard-circle-edexcel-igcse-maths

A, B, C and D are points on a circle, centre O.
APBE, COP and ODE are straight lines.

AP = 4 cm, PB = 5 cm, CP = 10 cm, DE = 10 cm and BE = x cm

Work out the value of x.
Show your working clearly.

6
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5 marks

A, B, D and E are points on a circle.

ABC and EDC are straight lines.

q26-paper2hr-nov2020-edexcel-igcse-maths

BC = (2 + 5 ) cm  ED = (4 + 5 ) cm DC = 2 5 cm

Show that the length of AB is ( p 5 + q) cm, where p and q are integers whose values are to be found.
Show your working clearly.

7
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5 marks
q20-paper2h-jan2019-edexcel-igcse-maths

A, B, C and D are points on a circle.
PCQ is a tangent to the circle.
AB = CB.

Angle BCQ = x°

Prove that angle CDA = 2x°
Give reasons for each stage in your working.

8
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4 marks
q23-paper1hr-june2019-edexcel-igcse-maths

B, C, D and F are points on a circle.
ABC, AFD,  BFE and  CDE are straight lines.

Work out the size of angle x.
Show your working clearly.

x = ......................

9
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6 marks
q22-paper2h-june2018-edexcel-igcse-maths

A, D, B and E are points on a circle, centre O.
AFBC, OEC and OFD are straight lines.

AF = 7 cm, FB = 4 cm, BC = 5 cm, FD = 2 cm and CE = x cm.

Work out the value of x.
Show your working clearly.

x =....................................................... 

10
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5 marks
q19-paper1hr-jan2019-edexcel-igcse-maths

B, C, D and E are points on a circle.

AB is the tangent at B to the circle.
AB is parallel to ED.
Angle ABE = 73°

Work out the size of angle DCE.
Give a reason for each stage of your working.

11
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5 marks

A, B and C are points on a circle with centre O.

q20-4ma1-2hr-qp-jan21-paper2-igcse-maths

Angle ABC = 75°

The area of the shaded segment is 200cm2

Calculate the radius of the circle.
Give your answer correct to 3 significant figures.

...................................................... cm

12
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4 marks

A, B and C are three points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.

BD and CD are tangents to the circle.
ABDC is a kite.
Angle BDC is x

q29-paper-3h-nov-2021-aqa-gcse-maths

Prove that angle  ABO is  45°  x4

13
Sme Calculator
4 marks

C, D and E are points on a circle.

CE = DE
The tangent at D is shown.
ACD and BCE are straight lines.

q25-paper-2h-nov-2019-aqa-gcse-maths

Prove that   y = 3x

14a
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4 marks

A, B and C are points on a circle.

CD is a tangent.

q20-paper-1h-june-2019-aqa-gcse-maths

Assume that triangle ABC is isosceles with AC = BC

Prove that AB is parallel to DC.

14b
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1 mark

In fact, triangle ABC is equilateral.

Tick the two boxes for the statements that must be correct. 

AB is parallel to DC

AC bisects angle BCD

AC bisects angle BAD

15
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4 marks

Here is a cyclic quadrilateral.

q24-paper1h-nov2017-aqa-gcse-maths

x : y = 5 : 7

Work out the size of angle w.

.....................degrees

16
Sme Calculator
4 marks

A, B, C, D and E are points on a circle.

BFD and AFC are straight lines.

DC = DF

q19-paper3h-june2017-aqa-gcse-maths

Work out the size of angle x.

You must show your working which may be on the diagram.

..........................degrees 

17a
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4 marks

A, B, C and D are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.

Angle BAD = 112° and angle DCO = 33°.

q16-paper5-june2019-ocr-gcse-maths

Show that angle y = 35°.
Give reasons for each stage of your working.

17b
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3 marks

Work out angle z.

Give reasons for your answer.

Angle z = ......................... ° because ........................................................................................

18
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5 marks

A, B, C and D are points on the circumference of a circle, centre O.

q8-paper4-june2018-ocr-gcse-maths

Angle CAD = 28° and CD = 6.4cm.
BD is a diameter of the circle.

Calculate the area of the circle.

...................... cm2