The Book of Lemmas: Proposition 9
Main Concept
If in a circle two chords AB, CD intersect at right angles, then:
(arc ) + (arc ) = (arc ) + (arc ).
Adjust the sliders to change the horizontal and vertical positions of and , and respectively. Observe that the sum of the lengths of arcs and and arcs and are always equal to half of the circle's circumference, where the circle's radius = 1.
:
Arc Lengths:
(arc ) =
∑ =
r (arc ) + (arc ) = (arc ) + (arc )
Proof:
Let the chords intersect at O, and draw the diameter EF parallel to AB intersecting CD in H. EF will thus bisect CD at right angles in H, and:
(arc ED) = (arc EC).
Also EDF, ECF are semicircles, while:
(arc ED) = (arc EA) + (arc AD).
Therefore:
(sum of arcs CF, EA, AD) = (arc of a semicircle).
And the arcs AE, BF are equal. Therefore:
(arc CB) + (arc AD) = (arc of a semicircle).
Hence the remainder of the circumference, the sum of arcs AC, DB is also equal to a semicircle; and the proposition is proved.
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