The Book of Lemmas Proposition 9 - Maple Help
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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 )            =      

(arc )            =      

∑                      =      

 

(arc )            =      

(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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