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CIRCUMCIRCLE

Circumcircle

Definition Of Circumcircle

A circle that passes through all of the vertices of a polygon is called a Circumcircle or Circumscribed circle.

More About Circumcircle

The center of the circumcircle is called the circumcenter.
All triangles, rectangles, and regular polygons have circumcircles.

Video Examples: Construction of circumcircle of a triangle

Example of Circumcircle

In the figure below, the circumcircle (in black) of the triangle ABC passes through all its vertices A, B, and C
examples of Circumcircle

Solved Example on Circumcircle

Ques: Which of the following figure shows the circumcircle of the triangle?

example of Circumcircle

Choices:

A. Figure 1
B. Figure 2
C. Figure 3
D. Figure 4
Correct Answer: C

Solution:

Step 1: A circle that passes through all of the vertices of a triangle is called circumcircle of a triangle.
Step 2: In Figure 3, the circle passes through all the vertices of the triangle ABC.
Step 3: So, Figure 3 is the circumcircle of the triangle. 

Quick Summary

  • A circumcircle passes through all vertices of a polygon.
  • The center of the circumcircle is the circumcenter.
  • Triangles, rectangles, and regular polygons have circumcircles.
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🍎 Teacher Insights

Use dynamic geometry software to demonstrate the construction of circumcircles for various polygons. Emphasize the relationship between the circumcenter and the perpendicular bisectors of the polygon's sides.

🎓 Prerequisites

  • Circles
  • Polygons
  • Triangles
  • Vertices

Check Your Knowledge

Q1: Which of the following is true about a circumcircle?

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the circumcenter?
A: The circumcenter is the center of the circumcircle. It is the point of intersection of the perpendicular bisectors of the sides of the polygon.

Q: Do all polygons have circumcircles?
A: No, only certain polygons such as triangles, rectangles, and regular polygons have circumcircles.

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