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How to Identify the Chords in a Circle

You have been asked to identify the chord AB in a circle, yet you are not sure how to do that. As with other parts of mathematics, this is simply another step that connects with other concepts to learn. In plane geometry, a chord is the line segment that joins two points on a curve. Often times this term is used to define a line segment whose ends lie on a circle.

Paper
Pencil
Compass
Straightedge

Instructions

- 1
  Using a compass, construct a large circle. Draw a point in the center and label it E.
- 2
  Along the top curve, place two points spaced a few inches from each other. Label these points A and C. Along the bottom curve place two points and label these B and D.
- 3
  Draw a line from A to B and another line from A to C. Then draw a line from B to D and another line from A to D.
- 4
  Look at the four lines that connect the points on the circle. These are called chords. In this exercise the four chords are AB, AC, BD and AD.

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