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Determine if XY is tangent to circle Z. Show your work to justify your answer.

Determine if XY is tangent to circle Z. Show your work to justify your answer.-example-1
User Navarro
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1 Answer

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13 votes

Explanation:

if XY is a tangent, then it would be at a right angle (90°) with the radius or diameter of the circle (WX = 2×8.5 = 17).

and that means the Pythagoras equation must apply :

c² = a² + b²

with c being the Hypotenuse (the side opposite of the 90° angle).

20² = 17² + 5²

400 = 289 + 25 = 314

no, that is not a true equation.

therefore, XY and WX are not at a right angle to each other, and therefore XY is not a tangent.

User Abe Fehr
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