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A circle can be defined as the “set or locus of all the points which are equidistant from a fixed point”. The parameters of the circle are radius, chord, secant, tangent.
- Circumference of the circle = 2πr
- Area of the circle = πr²
- Area of the sector of angle θ = (θ/360) × πr²
- Length of an arc of a sector of angle θ = (θ/360) × 2πr
(Where r = radius of the circle)
- The tangents drawn at any point on the circle is always perpendicular to the radius passing through the point of contact.
- The lengths of the tangents from any external points to the surface of the triangle are equal.
- The distance between two parallel tangents to the circle is equal to the diameter of the circle.
- The common point of a circle and the tangent to a circle is known as the point of contact.
- The length of the tangent from a point P which lies outside the circle is given by PT=PT’= (OP²-r²).
MCQs on Circles
Ques 1. A circle can have a total number of tangents equal to…….
- 0
- 1
- 2
- Infinite
Click here for the answer
Ans: d) Infinite
Explanation: A tangent to a circle is defined as a straight line which touches the circle at one point, called the point of tangency. At the point of tangency, the tangent of the circle is perpendicular to the radius drawn to the point of contact.
Hence a circle can have any number of tangents on its surface so that it can be drawn perpendicular to the centre of the circle as shown in the below diagram.

Ques 2. The length of the tangent from an external point A on a circle having the centre O is:
- Equal to OA
- Always greater than OA
- Always less than OA
- Cannot be determined
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Ans: c) Always greater than OA
Explanation: As we know that the tangent is perpendicular to the radius of the circle, then the angle comes out to be 90°. Then the opposite side to that angle is the hypotenuse which is OA, for the right-angled triangle OAB. For any right-angled triangle, the hypotenuse is the only longest side of the triangle. Therefore, the length of the tangent drawn from an external point is always less than the line joining the point and the centre of the circle.
Ques 3. If AB is a chord of the circle and AOC is its diameter so that angle ACB = 50°. If AT is the tangent to the circle at the point A on the circle, then ∠BAT is equal to
- 65°
- 60°
- 50°
- 40°
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Ans: (c) 50°
Explanation:
According to the given question, we can draw a diagram for the circle having tangent from the external point T.

We know that angle in Semicircle is right angle hence,
∠ABC = 90°
In the triangle Δ ACB,
⇒ ∠A + ∠B + ∠C = 180
⇒ ∠A = 180° – (90° + 50°)
⇒ ∠A = 40°
Or ∠OAB = 40°
Therefore, ∠BAT = 90° – 40° = 50°
Ques 4. If TP and TQ are the two tangents drawn to a circle with centre at O. so that ∠POQ = 110°, then ∠PTQ is equal to…
- 60°
- 70°
- 80°
- 90°
Click here for the answer
Ans: b) 70°
Explanation: According to the given information in the question, we can draw that the OP is the radius of the circle to the tangent PT and OQ is the radius to the tangents drawn to the tangents TQ.

So, OP ⊥ PT and TQ ⊥ OQ (perpendicular lines)
∴ ∠OPT = ∠OQT = 90°
Now, in the quadrilateral POQT, we know that the sum of the interior angles is 360°
So, ∠PTQ + ∠POQ + ∠OPT + ∠OQT = 360°
Now, by putting the respective values, we get,
⇒ ∠PTQ + 90° + 110° + 90° = 180°+ 110°+ ∠PTQ = 360°
⇒ ∠PTQ = 70°
Ques 5. The length of a tangent drawn from a point A at a distance of 5 cm from the centre of the circle is 4 cm. Then calculate the radius of the circle?
- 3 cm
- 5 cm
- 7 cm
- 10 cm
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Ans: (a) 3 cm
Explanation: According to the given information in the question, we can draw that the OB is the perpendicular line from the centre and joining A,B gives the tangent to the circle.
AB is the tangent, drawn on to the circle from point A.
So, OB ⊥ AB
Given, OA = 5cm and AB = 4 cm
Now, In the Δ ABO,
OA² = AB² + BO² (by Using Pythagoras theorem)
⇒ 52 = 42 + BO²
⇒ BO² = 25 – 16
⇒ BO² = 9
⇒ BO = 3.
As the value of the length of the triangle can not be negative, we consider only the positive value of BO.
Ques 6. In the given figure below, the pair of tangents AP and AQ drawn from an external point A to a circle with centre O are perpendicular to each other and the length of each tangent is 5 cm. calculate the radius of the circle

- 10 cm
- 7.5 cm
- 5 cm
- 2.5 cm
Click here for the answer
Ans: (c) 5 cm
Explanation: Join the points on the circle to the centre of the circle. Join OP and OQ.

Tangents AP = AQ
In triangle Δ APO and Δ AQO,
AP = AQ since the radius of the circle is uniform.
OP = OQ (radius of same circle)
Thus, ΔAPO ~ ΔAQO. (Similar triangles)
The Quadrilateral POQA is a square
OP = OQ = AP = AQ
So, AP = AQ = 5 Cm
And AP = OP (Proved)
Therefore, radius AP = OP = OQ = 5 cm
Ques 7. Two concentric circles were drawn with radii 5 cm and 3 cm. calculate the length of the chord of the larger circle which touches the smaller circle ?
- 8 cm
- 10 cm
- 12 cm
- 18 cm
Click here for the answer
Ans: (a) 8 cm
Explanation: According to the given information in the question, we can draw concentric circles with common centre O.

From the above figure, AB can be identified as the tangent to the smaller circle at the point P.
∴ OP ⊥ AB
By applying Pythagoras theorem, in triangle Δ OPA
⇒ OA ²= AP ² + OP ²
⇒ 5 ² = AP ² + 32
⇒ AP ² = 25 – 9
⇒ AP = 4
Now, as OP ⊥ AB,
Since the perpendicular from the circle’s centre bisects the chord, AP will be equal to PB
So, AB = 2 × AP = 2 × 4 = 8 cm.
Ques 8. If the sum of the areas of two circles with radii R? and R? is equal to the area of a circle of radius R, then:
- R1 + R2 = R
- R1² + R2² = R²
- R1 + R2 < R
- R1² + R2² < R²
Click here for the answer
Ans: (b) R1² + R2² = R²
Explanation: consider two circles with radii R1 and R2,
The area of a circle with radius r is given by πr².
Given that the sum of areas is equal to others then
⇒ A1+A2 = A
⇒π (R1² + R2²) = πR²
⇒R1² + R2² = R²
Hence the sum of squares of the radius is equal to the other circle area.
Ques 9. If the circumference of a circle and the perimeter of a square are equal, then:
- Area of the circle = Area of the square
- Area of the circle >Area of the square
- Area of the circle < Area of the square
- Nothing can be said about the relation between the areas of the square and the circle.
Click here for the answer
Ans: (b) Area of the circle > Area of the square
Explanation: According to the given parameters
The circumference of the circle is 2πr
The circumference of the square of side a is given by 4a.
∴ From the given condition, we have 2π r = 4a
(22/7) r = 2a
⇒ 11r = 7a
⇒ a = (11/7)a
⇒ r = (7/11)a
The Area of circle = A1 = πr2²
The Area of square = A2 = a²
we have
A1 = π × (7/11)² (From above equation)
= (22/7) × (49/121) a²
= (14/11) a2 and A2 = a²
∴ A1 = (14/11) A2
⇒ A1 > A2
Therefore, Area of the circle > Area of the square.
Ques 10. The radius of a circle is diminished by 10%, then its area is diminished by:
- 19%
- 10 %
- 25 %
- 18 %
Click here for the answer
Ans: (a) 19%
Explanation: Let the radius of the circle be “r”.
So, the area of a circle = πr²
If the radius of a circle is diminished by 10%, new radius, r = r – (10% of r)
⇒r = 90% of radius
⇒r = (90/100) r
⇒r = 9r/10
We know that the area of a circle is πr2 square units.
Now, substitute r = 9r/10
⇒A = π(9r/10) ²
⇒A = π(81r2/100)
Therefore, the change in area = πr2 – π(81r2/100)
⇒A = (19/100)πr²
⇒A = 0.19 πr²
Hence, the area is diminished by 19%.
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