Relating Chord Length to Center Distance

Relating Chord Length to Center Distance

Observe how the length of a chord relates to its distance from the center of a circle.


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Putting It All Together

Answer these open ended questions on your own or with others to form deeper math connections.

Question ouverte 1

Based on your observations, what can you say about the distances from congruent chords to the center of the circle?

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Question ouverte 2

Based on your observations, what can you say about the lengths of chords that are equidistant from the center of the circle?

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Question ouverte 3

Using the ‘show radii’ option, what type of triangles are formed?

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Question ouverte 4

Which congruence criteria (SSS, SAS, HL) proves these triangles are congruent?

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Question ouverte 5

How does this triangle congruence prove your observations?

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Question ouverte 6

As you make a chord longer, does its distance from the center increase or decrease?

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