Question 41 of 50advanced🔧 ApplyLong Answer5 marks

Show that if a rectangle is inscribed in a circle, then the point of intersection of its diagonals must lie at the centre of the circle.

Correct Answer

Let ABCDABCD be a rectangle inscribed in a circle. Let its diagonals ACAC and BDBD intersect at point OO. We need to show that OO is the centre of the circle.

Since ABCDABCD is a rectangle, all its interior angles are 90°90°. Consider triangle ABCABC inside the rectangle. It is a right-angled triangle with the right angle at BB, and its hypotenuse is the diagonal ACAC.

A key property states that for a right-angled triangle, the circumcentre lies at the midpoint of the hypotenuse. The circle passing through the vertices of the rectangle also passes through AA, BB, and CC, making it the circumcircle of triangle ABCABC.

Since the diagonals of a rectangle bisect each other, their point of intersection OO is the midpoint of the diagonal ACAC. Because ACAC is the hypotenuse of right-angled triangle ABCABC, its midpoint OO is the circumcentre of the triangle.

As the circumcentre of triangle ABCABC is the centre of its circumcircle, the point OO must be the centre of the circle in which the rectangle is inscribed. Similarly, OO is the midpoint of the hypotenuse of triangle ADCADC. Hence, the point of intersection of the diagonals lies at the centre of the circle.

Exercise: END-OF-CHAPTER EXERCISES | Q: *15 | (Page 24)
For More Understanding

Explanation

The textbook context explicitly states that for a right-angled triangle, the circumcentre lies at the midpoint of the hypotenuse. By recognizing that a rectangle consists of right-angled triangles (like triangle ABCABC) whose hypotenuses are the diagonals of the rectangle, we can connect this property to the circle.

Since the circle circumscribes the rectangle, it also circumscribes these right-angled triangles. The intersection point of the rectangle's diagonals is the midpoint of the hypotenuse, making it the circumcentre and therefore the centre of the circle.

Solution Steps

  1. Step 1: Let ABCDABCD be a rectangle inscribed in a circle, with diagonals ACAC and BDBD intersecting at OO.

  2. Step 2: Since ABCDABCD is a rectangle, angle BB is 90°90°, making triangle ABCABC a right-angled triangle with hypotenuse ACAC.

  3. Step 3: The circle is the circumcircle of triangle ABCABC, so its centre is the circumcentre of triangle ABCABC.

  4. Step 4: Apply the property: For a right-angled triangle, the circumcentre lies at the midpoint of the hypotenuse.

  5. Step 5: The diagonals of a rectangle bisect each other, so OO is the midpoint of ACAC (the hypotenuse). Thus, OO is the circumcentre, meaning OO is the centre of the circle.