Properties of Circles (Edexcel GCSE Maths)

Properties of Circles

What terms related to circles do I need to know?

• Circles have several specific terms that you need to be familiar with:

  • A circle's perimeter is called a circumference

  • Its line of symmetry is called a diameter

  • The line from the centre of the circle to its circumference is called a radius

    • The diameter is equal to 2 × the radius

  • A portion of the circumference is called an arc

  • A portion of the area, contained between two radii and an arc, is called a sector

  • A line between two points on the circumference is called a chord

  • The area formed between a chord and an arc is called a segment

  • A line which intersects the circumference at one point only, is called a tangent

• The ratio  is equal to π (3.14159...)

• Circles have many angle properties and you will need to learn some of them

  • These can be found in the revision note named Circle Theorems