Is a line ax+by+c=0 tangent to a circle?

Get a line a form y=-ax/b-c/b, then substitute into a cirle equation (x-p)^2 +(y-s)^2=r^2. Get a quadratic and find whether a discriminant is equal to zero. If it is then the line is tangent to a circle. Otherwise, for d>0 the line cuts through two points on a circle, for d<0 the line has no common points with a circle.

JO
Answered by Jakub O. Maths tutor

8802 Views

See similar Maths A Level tutors

Related Maths A Level answers

All answers ▸

If y = 2^x, solve the equation 8(4^x) + 9(2^x) + 1 = 0 in terms of y.


Sketch the graph y = 2sin(4x)


If y=5x+4x^3, find dy/dx.


Show that the equation 2sin^2(x) + 3sin(x) = 2cos(2x) + 3 can be written as 6sin^2(x)+3sin(x) - 5 = 0. Hence solve for 0 < x < 360 degrees. Giving your answers to 1.d.p.


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning