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# Angles Outside a Circle

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Angles Outside a Circle

What if you were given a circle with either two secents, two tangents, or one of each that share a common point outside the circle? How could you use the measure of the arcs formed by those circle parts to find the measure of the angle they make outside the circle? After completing this Concept, you'll be able to apply the Outside Angle Theorem to solve problems like this one.

### Guidance

An angle is outside a circle if its vertex is outside the circle and its sides are tangents or secants. The possibilities are: an angle formed by two tangents, an angle formed by a tangent and a secant, and an angle formed by two secants.

Outside Angle Theorem: The measure of an angle formed by two secants, two tangents, or a secant and a tangent from a point outside the circle is half the difference of the measures of the intercepted arcs.

$m\angle D = \frac{m\widehat{EF}-m\widehat{GH}}{2}$ , $m\angle L =\frac{m\widehat{MPN}-m\widehat{MN}}{2}$ , $m\angle Q =\frac{m\widehat{RS}-m\widehat{RT}}{2}$

#### Example A

Find the value of $x$ .

$x=\frac{72^\circ - 22^\circ}{2}=\frac{50^\circ}{2}=25^\circ$ .

#### Example B

Find the value of $x$ .

$x=\frac{120^\circ - 32^\circ}{2}=\frac{88^\circ}{2}=44^\circ$ .

#### Example C

Find the value of $x$ .

First note that the missing arc by angle $x$ measures $32^\circ$ because the complete circle must make $360^\circ$ . Then, $x=\frac{141^\circ - 32^\circ}{2}=\frac{109^\circ}{2}=54.5^\circ$ .

### Guided Practice

Find the measure of $x$ .

1.

2.

3.

For all of the above problems we can use the Outside Angle Theorem.

1. $x=\frac{125^\circ-27^\circ}{2}=\frac{98^\circ}{2}=49^\circ$

2. $40^\circ$ is not the intercepted arc. The intercepted arc is $120^\circ, \ (360^\circ-200^\circ-40^\circ)$ . $x=\frac{200^\circ-120^\circ}{2}=\frac{80^\circ}{2}=40^\circ$

3. Find the other intercepted arc, $360^\circ-265^\circ=95^\circ$ $x = \frac{265^\circ-95^\circ}{2}=\frac{170^\circ}{2}=85^\circ$

### Practice

Find the value of the missing variable(s).

Solve for $x$ .

1. Fill in the blanks of the proof for the Outside Angle Theorem

Given : Secant rays $\overrightarrow{AB}$ and $\overrightarrow{AC}$

Prove : $m\angle a = \frac{1}{2} \left (m\widehat{BC}-m\widehat{DE} \right )$

Statement Reason
1. Intersecting secants $\overrightarrow{AB}$ and $\overrightarrow{AC}$ . 1.

2. Draw $\overline{BE}$ .

2. Construction
3. $m\angle BEC &= \frac{1}{2} m\widehat{BC}\\m\angle DBE &= \frac{1}{2} m\widehat{DE}$ 3.
4. $m\angle a+m\angle DBE=m\angle BEC$ 4.
5. 5. Subtraction PoE
6. 6. Substitution
7. $m\angle a=\frac{1}{2} \left (m\widehat{BC}-m\widehat{DE} \right )$ 7.

### Vocabulary Language: English Spanish

central angle

central angle

An angle formed by two radii and whose vertex is at the center of the circle.
chord

chord

A line segment whose endpoints are on a circle.
circle

circle

The set of all points that are the same distance away from a specific point, called the center.
diameter

diameter

A chord that passes through the center of the circle. The length of a diameter is two times the length of a radius.
inscribed angle

inscribed angle

An angle with its vertex on the circle and whose sides are chords.
intercepted arc

intercepted arc

The arc that is inside an inscribed angle and whose endpoints are on the angle.
point of tangency

point of tangency

The point where the tangent line touches the circle.

The distance from the center to the outer rim of a circle.