Q1
Problem. Two circles of radii cm and cm intersect at two points and the distance between their centres is cm. Find the length of the common chord.
Solution.
Let the centres be (radius ) and (radius ), and the distance . Let the common chord be . Let the perpendicular from to chord meet it at . Let . Then for the two right triangles:
Subtract the second from the first:
So
Then half–chord length
Hence the common chord length
Q2
Problem. If two equal chords of a circle intersect within the circle, prove that the segments of one chord are equal to the corresponding segments of the other chord.
Solution.
Let chords and be equal and intersect at . Put where . Put (since ). By the intersecting-chords theorem (power of a point):
Rearrange:
The factor would be zero only if , i.e. , which would place on segment (not possible for two distinct chords intersecting inside). Hence , so . Therefore
So corresponding segments are equal.
Q3
Problem. If two equal chords of a circle intersect within the circle, prove that the line joining the point of intersection to the centre makes equal angles with the two chords.
Solution.
With the notation of Q2, let be the circle’s centre and and (from Q2). Consider triangles and . They have
So (SSS). Corresponding angles at are equal:
Thus the line makes equal angles with chords and (Similarly .)
Q4
Problem. If a line intersects two concentric circles (same centre ) at (in that order along the line), prove that . (See Fig. 9.12.)
Solution.
Let the line meet the two concentric circles so that along the line, from left to right, the points are (outer circle), (inner circle), (centre), (inner circle), (outer circle). Denote outer radius and inner radius . Then
But because of symmetry about the distances satisfy and (on appropriate signed scale). Hence
and
Therefore . (Geometrically: the two segments from outer to inner circle on opposite sides are equal by symmetry about .)
Q5
Problem. Three girls Reshma, Salma and Mandip stand on a circle of radius m. Reshma–Salma distance , Salma– Mandip distance . Find the distance between Reshma and Mandip.
Solution.
All three lie on the same circle radius . Chord length corresponding to a central angle satisfies
Given chord , so
Thus Then
The triangle formed by the three girls has two equal sides (6,6) so the central angles subtending those equal chords are equal (call each ). The remaining central angle is . The chord between Reshma and Mandip corresponds to central angle ; its length is
So
Q6
Problem. A circular park has radius . Three boys sit at equal distances on its boundary (i.e., they are vertices of an inscribed equilateral triangle). Find the length of the string of each toy telephone (distance between any two boys).
Solution.
Three equal points on a circle divide the circumference into three equal arcs; each central angle is . The chord length for central angle is
With , string length
So exact answer:
