Intersecting secants theorem

Intersecting secants theorem {displaystyle triangle PACsim triangle PBD} yields {displaystyle |PA|cdot |PD|=|PB|cdot |PC|} The intersecting secant theorem or just secant theorem describes the relation of line segments created by two intersecting secants and the associated circle.

For two lines AD and BC that intersect each other in P and some circle in A and D respective B and C the following equation holds: {displaystyle |PA|cdot |PD|=|PB|cdot |PC|} The theorem follows directly from the fact, that the triangles PAC and PBD are similar. They share {displaystyle angle DPC} and {displaystyle angle ADB=angle ACB} as they are inscribed angles over AB. The similarity yields an equation for ratios which is equivalent to the equation of the theorem given above: {displaystyle {frac {PA}{PC}}={frac {PB}{PD}}Leftrightarrow |PA|cdot |PD|=|PB|cdot |PC|} Next to the intersecting chords theorem and the tangent-secant theorem the intersecting secants theorem represents one of the three basic cases of a more general theorem about two intersecting lines and a circle - the power of point theorem.

References S. Gottwald: The VNR Concise Encyclopedia of Mathematics. Springer, 2012, ISBN 9789401169820, pp. 175-176 Michael L. O'Leary: Revolutions in Geometry. Wiley, 2010, ISBN 9780470591796, p. 161 Schülerduden - Mathematik I. Bibliographisches Institut & F.A. Brockhaus, 8. Auflage, Mannheim 2008, ISBN 978-3-411-04208-1, pp. 415-417 (German) External links Secant Secant Theorem at proofwiki.org Power of a Point Theorem auf cut-the-knot.org Weisstein, Eric W. "Chord". MathWorld. hide vte Ancient Greek and Hellenistic mathematics (Euclidean geometry) Mathematicians (timeline) AnaxagorasAnthemiusArchytasAristaeus the ElderAristarchusApolloniusArchimedesAutolycusBionBrysonCallippusCarpusChrysippusCleomedesCononCtesibiusDemocritusDicaearchusDioclesDiophantusDinostratusDionysodorusDomninusEratosthenesEudemusEuclidEudoxusEutociusGeminusHeliodorusHeronHipparchusHippasusHippiasHippocratesHypatiaHypsiclesIsidore of MiletusLeonMarinusMenaechmusMenelausMetrodorusNicomachusNicomedesNicotelesOenopidesPappusPerseusPhilolausPhilonPhilonidesPorphyryPosidoniusProclusPtolemyPythagorasSerenus SimpliciusSosigenesSporusThalesTheaetetusTheanoTheodorusTheodosiusTheon of AlexandriaTheon of SmyrnaThymaridasXenocratesZeno of EleaZeno of SidonZenodorus Treatises AlmagestArchimedes PalimpsestArithmeticaConics (Apollonius)CatoptricsData (Euclid)Elements (Euclid)Measurement of a CircleOn Conoids and SpheroidsOn the Sizes and Distances (Aristarchus)On Sizes and Distances (Hipparchus)On the Moving Sphere (Autolycus)Euclid's OpticsOn SpiralsOn the Sphere and CylinderOstomachionPlanisphaeriumSphaericsThe Quadrature of the ParabolaThe Sand Reckoner Problems Constructible numbers Angle trisectionDoubling the cubeSquaring the circleProblem of Apollonius Concepts and definitions Angle CentralInscribedChordCircles of Apollonius Apollonian circlesApollonian gasketCircumscribed circleCommensurabilityDiophantine equationDoctrine of proportionalityGolden ratioGreek numeralsIncircle and excircles of a triangleMethod of exhaustionParallel postulatePlatonic solidLune of HippocratesQuadratrix of HippiasRegular polygonStraightedge and compass constructionTriangle center Results In Elements Angle bisector theoremExterior angle theoremEuclidean algorithmEuclid's theoremGeometric mean theoremGreek geometric algebraHinge theoremInscribed angle theoremIntercept theoremIntersecting chords theoremIntersecting secants theoremLaw of cosinesPons asinorumPythagorean theoremTangent-secant theoremThales's theoremTheorem of the gnomon Apollonius Apollonius's theorem Other Aristarchus's inequalityCrossbar theoremHeron's formulaIrrational numbersLaw of sinesMenelaus's theoremPappus's area theoremProblem II.8 of ArithmeticaPtolemy's inequalityPtolemy's table of chordsPtolemy's theoremSpiral of Theodorus Centers CyreneLibrary of AlexandriaPlatonic Academy Other Ancient Greek astronomyGreek numeralsLatin translations of the 12th centuryNeusis construction  Ancient Greece portal •  Mathematics portal Categories: Theorems about circles