Example

Find the equation of the circle whose centre is the point (2,3) and the line 5x +2y 7 = is a
tan!ent to the circle"

Solution
#he perpendicular distance will !i$e the radius of the circle
#he equation of the circle is
Example
%how that the point (3,&) lies on the circle x
2
+ y
2
+ 'x &y &2 =
and hence, deter(ine the equation of the tan!ent at (3,&) to the circle x
2
+ y
2
+ 'x &y &2
Solution
%ubstitutin! the coordinate (3,&) into the equation
)*% = 3
2
+ &
2
+ '(3) &(&) &2
= + + & + &2 & &2
= 22 22
=
= ,*%
*ence the point (3,&) lies on the circle x
2
+ y
2
+ 'x &y &2 =
-quation of the tan!ent at (x, y) is
xx& + yy& + !(x+x&) + f(y+y&) + C =
g = 2, f = 5
3x + y + 2(x+3) 5 (y+&) &2 =
3x + y + 2x + . 5y 5 &2 =
5x + 5y . =
Example
Find the equation of the tan!ent at the point (2, 3) on the circle
'x
2
+ 'y
2
.x + +y &3 =
Solution #he equation of tan!ent to a circle xx& + yy& +g(x+x&)+f(y+y&)+ C=
'x
2
+ 'y
2
.x + +y &3 =

Example
#he len!th of the tan!ent fro( the point (3, 2) to the x
2
+ y
2
2x + 3y + C = is &/ units" Find
the $alue of C"
Solution
)en!th of tan!ent = x
2
+ y
2
2x + 3y + C at point (3, 2)
(%quarin! both sides) 32' = + + ' . + . + C
C = 3&&
Example
#he len!th of the tan!ent fro( the point (2 ,&) to the circle 3x
2
+ 3y
2
+ 'x + 2y + 0 = is 3
units" Find the $alue of K
-quation of circle is 3x
2
+ 3y
2
+ 'x + 2y + 0 =

SOLUTION
1i$idin! throu!h by 3 to reduce to the coefficient of x
2
and y
2
to unity x
2
+ y
2
+
)en!th of the tan!ent

(2) #an!ent to the circle x
2
+ y
2
= 25 which is parallel to the line 'x y + / =
%lope = ( = ' 2( = ( condition for parallelis(3
y = 'x + 5
y = 'x + 5
(3) #an!ent to the circle x
2
+ y
2
= 25 which is perpendicular to the line 5y = 5 'x
( = '
%lope of the tan!ent ( = 4 2(&(2 = & (condition for perpendicularity)3

Example
Find the tan!ent to the circle x
2
+ y
2
= & fro( the point (' 2)
Solution
Any line throu!h the point (', 2) with slope ( is y + 2 = ( (x ')
y + 2 ((x '() =
#he line y + 2 ((x '() = will be will tan!ent to circle x
2
+ y
2
= &, #he radius of the circle
is equal to the len!th of the perpendicular fro( the center (, ) on the line (a)
i"e" the distance of (x& + x2) fro( the line y + 2 ((x '() =
is +
('( + 2)
2
= & ((
2
+ &)
&.(
2
+ &.( + ' = &( + &
.(
2
+ &.( . =
(.( 2) (( + 3) =
( = or ( = 3
*ence the two tan!ent are
y + 2 = (x ') or x 3y = &
y + 2 = 3(x ') or 3x + y = &

Example
%how that x
2
+ y
2
&&x 7y + 3 = and x
2
+ y
2
7 x + 3y && = touch one another at point
(/,.)" Find the equations of the tan!ents to each other of circles at the point (/, .) and hence
deduce that the circles touch each other
Solution
%ince /
2
+ .
2
&&(/) 7 (.) + 3 =
And also /
2
+ .
2
(/) 7(.) + 3(.) && =
#his show that the point (/, .) lies on both the circles"
-quation of tan!ent for the &
st
circle x"/ + y".
= x + y &' =
-quation of tan!ent for 2
nd
circle
is
thus we find that two circles passes throu!h point (/, .) and also ha$e the sa(e tan!ent at point
(/, .) i(plyin! that thecircles touches each other at (/, .)

Example
Find the points of intersection of the line x + y =3 and the circle x
2
+ y
2
+ x 5y + ' =
Solution
#he points of intersection is !otten by sol$in! the two equations"
x = 3 y 555555555555555(i)
(3 y)
2
+ y
2
+ (3 y) 5y + ' = 2su6stitute (3 y) =x into equation of the circle
y
2
.y + + + y
2
+ 3 y 5y + ' =
2y
2
&2y + &. =
y
2
.y + / =
(y ') (y 2) =
y = ' or y = 2
7hen y = ', x = &
7hen y = 2, x = &
#hus, the two points of intersection are
(&,') and (&,2)

1. Find the equation of a circle whose center is at the point (-2 , 3) and its diameter
has a length of 10.
Standard equation of a circle with radius r and center at the point (h , ) is gi!en
"#
($ - h)
2
% (# - )
2
& r
2

'n this pro"lem r & 10 ( 2 & ) and h & -2 and & 3.
*he equation of this circle is gi!en "#+ ($ % 2)
2
% (# - 3)
2
& 2)
2. ,roup the terms in $ and $
2
and the terms in # and #
2
in the gi!en equation
($
2
% -$) % (#
2
- .#) & )
/omplete the squares inside the "racets.
($
2
% -$ % - - -) % (#
2
- .# % 10 - 10) & )
($ % 2)
2
% (# - -)
2
& 2).
'dentif# the a"o!e as the standard equation of a circle with center (-2 , -) and
radius ).
3. Find an equation of the circle that is is tangent to "oth the $ and # a$es, with a
radius of - and whose center is located in the second quadrant.
Since the circle is tangent to the $ a$is, the distance from the center to $ a$is is
equal to the radius -. 'n the same wa# the circle is tangent to the # a$is and
therefore the distance from the center to the # a$is is also equal to the radius.
1ence the center has coordinates (-- , -). *he equation of this circle is gi!en "#
($ % -)
2
% (# - -)
2
& 10
-. 2e first need to find the radius which is gi!en "# the distance from the center to
the point (1 , 2)
r & 34 (0 - 2)
2
% (-- - 1)
2
5 & 3-1
*he equation is gi!en "#
($ % -)
2
% (# - 0)
2
& -1
).
Since the circle is tangent to the # a$is, the radius is equal to the distance from
the center to the # a$is which is the a"solute !alue of the # coordinate of the
center and that is 0.
*he equation is gi!en "#
($ % 3)
2
% (# - 0)
2
& 30
0.
Since the circle is tangent to the $ a$is, the radius is equal to the distance from
the center to the $ a$is which is the a"solute !alue of the $ coordinate of the
center and that is 2.
*he equation is gi!en "#
($ - 2)
2
% (# % ))
2
& -
6.
2e first find the radius r which is half the length of the diameter
r & 1(2 3(0- % 10) & 2 7radics8)
*he center / is the midpoint of 9 and :+ /(-1 , -)
*he equation is gi!e "#+ ($ % 1)
2
% (# - -)
2
& 20
..
$ intercept (set # & 0 in gi!en equation) + $
2
% 3$ & 1.
sol!e for $+ $ & 3 and $ & -0 , 2 $ intercepts+ (3 , 0) and (-0 , 0)
# intercept (set $ & 0 in gi!en equation) + #
2
- -# & 1.
sol!e for #+ # & 2 - 322 and # & 2 % 322 , 2 # intercepts+ (0 , 2 - 322) and (0 , 2 %
322)
;.
2e first write the equation in standard form and find the center and radius of the
circle. :# completing the squares, the gi!en equation can "e written as follows
($ % 2)
2
% (# - -)
2
& )
2

/enter at (-2 , -) and radius & )
2e now calculate the distance d from the center to point 9(-3 , .)
d & 3(1 % 10) & 316 & -.1 (to the nearest tenth)
Since the distance from the center to point 9 is smaller than the radius, point 9 is
inside the circle.
10. 2e need to sol!e the s#stem of equations as follows+ Su"stitute # "# 3$ in
the equation of the circle
($ - 2)
2
% (3$ - 0)
2
& -0
Sol!e for $ to find the solutions+ $ & 0 and $ & -
<se # & 3$ to find the corresponding !alues of #
For $ & 0 , # & 3$ & 0 and for $ & - , # & 12.
*he points of intersection are+ (0 , 0) and (- , 12)
11.
a) =+ (2 , -)
") >(=9) & 3(10 % ;) & )
>(=:) & 3(10 % ;) & )
>(=/) & 3(10 % ;) & )
c) *he three points are at equal distances from point = and therefore point = is
the center of the circle8 hence the equation is gi!en "#
($ - 2)
2
% (# - -)
2
& 2)