ANSWER
r = 3.8
Step-by-step explanation
If AB is tangent to the circle at A, and AO is the radius of the circle, then angle OAB is a right angle. Therefore we have a right triangle:
The hypotenuse of the triangle is segment BO, which by the segment addition postulate is:
![\begin{gathered} BO=BC+CO \\ BO=6+r \end{gathered}](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/4s2fwhtuhvx7mk2kzjfixcajit7f2s8fsh.png)
Then we have one leg of the triangle which is AB = 9 and the other leg is r.
Using he pythagorean theorem we can find r:
![\begin{gathered} BO^2=AO^2+AB^2 \\ (r+6)^2=r^2+9^2 \end{gathered}](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/y6bxbohmijdvc8ro7j9nu6x0ip4a5nhcit.png)
Expanding the binomial on the left side:
![r^2+12r+36=r^2+81](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/apath4shhy5jbblycckjkbcsdn8hdjeq7d.png)
Note that we have r² on both sides, so if we subtract r² from both sides:
![\begin{gathered} r^2-r^2+12r+36=r^2-r^2+81 \\ 12r+36=81 \end{gathered}](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/f22ggpxbj2yfjm8nkuwq7k7qxige8r3eua.png)
We have a linear equation. Solving for r:
![\begin{gathered} 12r=81-36 \\ 12r=45 \\ r=(45)/(12) \\ r=(15)/(4) \\ r=3.75\approx3.8 \end{gathered}](https://img.qammunity.org/2023/formulas/mathematics/college/zictustzu7mverhfqurywxo6jd39h66wmp.png)