Two lengths are drawn from a Point P to a circle centre (o). The radius of the circle is 8.2cm and P is 12.4cm from o. Find the angle between the tangents.
Please help, I really don't understand it.
2 answers
If one of the lengths goes to the center, where does the other one go? Is is a tangent? You don't say so. You talk about "between the tangents" but one of the lines is not a tangent.
If I understand the question, tangents are drawn to the circle from point P.
Let those contact points be A and B
In triangle APO,
AO=8.2
OP = 12.4
and the angle at A is 90º
let angle APO be ß
sin ß=8.2/12.4
ß = 41.4º
so the angle between the two tangents is 82.8º
Let those contact points be A and B
In triangle APO,
AO=8.2
OP = 12.4
and the angle at A is 90º
let angle APO be ß
sin ß=8.2/12.4
ß = 41.4º
so the angle between the two tangents is 82.8º
4 answers