Chapter 9.2, Problem 18WE

To determine

To find: the length of the common external tangent $\overline{AB}$ .

Answer to Problem 18WE

The required length is $AB=4\sqrt{5}$ .

Explanation of Solution

Given Information:

Circles $P$ and $Q$ have radii 6 and 2 and are tangent to each other.

Given figure,

  

Calculation:

There are two circles whose radius is 6 and 2 respectively.

Joint $AP$ and $BQ$ .

Note that $AP$ and $BQ$ are radius, then

  $\begin{array}{l}AP=6\\ BQ=2\end{array}$

Joint $PQ$ and joint $OB$ and make a parallel line to $PQ$ . Then $OPQB$ will be a rectangle.

  

In the rectangle $OPQB$ opposite sides are equal.

  $\begin{array}{l}OB=PQ\left(=4\right)\\ OP=QB\left(=2\right)\mathrm{.................}(1)\end{array}$

Then,

  $\begin{array}{c}AP=AO+OP\\ 6=AO+2\\ AO=6-2\\ AO=\mathrm{4.............}(1)\end{array}$

The distance $PQ$ is,

  $\begin{array}{c}PQ=radius1+radius2\\ =6+2\\ =8\end{array}$

From (1), $OB=PQ$ and $PQ=8$

This implies that $OB=8$

Note that $\Delta AOB$ is a right-angled triangle.

Use Pythagoras theorem to get,

  $\begin{array}{c}A{B}^2=O{A}^2+O{B}^2\\ =4^2+8^2\\ =16+64\\ =80\end{array}$

Take positive square root to get,

  $\begin{array}{c}AB=\sqrt{80}\\ =4\sqrt{5}\end{array}$

Therefore, the required length is $AB=4\sqrt{5}$ .