Common Core: High School - Geometry : Construct Tangent Lines from Outside a Circle: CCSS.Math.Content.HSG-C.A.4
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Common Core: High School - Geometry
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Example Questions
Example Question #11 : Construct Tangent Lines From Outside A Circle: Ccss.Math.Content.Hsg C.A.4
Construct a line that is tangent to a point on the circle and passes through the point 
To construct a line that is tangent to a point on the circle and passes through the point 
Using the plotted circle and the given point, two potential lines can be drawn that will touch the circle at one point. One possible line would touch the circle on the top half of the circumference while the other potential line would touch the circle on the bottom.
Constructing the first potential tangent line, a point can be plotted on the circle as follows.
From here, connect the given point 
Of the other answer choices, two options contain lines that are secant to the circle meaning that the line intersects the circle at point two points thus, those options are not tangent. The other two lines do not intersect nor touch the circle therefore they are not considered tangent either.
Example Question #45 : Circles
Construct a line that is tangent to a point on the circle and passes through the point 
To construct a line that is tangent to a point on the circle and passes through the point 
Using the plotted circle and the given point, two potential lines can be drawn that will touch the circle at one point. One possible line would touch the circle on the top half of the circumference while the other potential line would touch the circle on the bottom.
Constructing the second potential tangent line, a point can be plotted on the circle as follows.
From here, connect the given point 
Of the other answer choices, two options contain lines that are secant to the circle meaning that the line intersects the circle at point two points thus, those options are not tangent. The other two lines do not intersect nor touch the circle therefore they are not considered tangent either.
Example Question #251 : High School: Geometry
Determine whether the statement is true or false.
A tangent line to the circle can be constructed between the point at 
False
True
True
To construct a line that is tangent to a point on the circle, recall what it means for a line to be "tangent". A line that is tangent to a point on a circle means that the line will only touch the circle at that specific point.
Constructing the tangent line results in the following image,
Therefore, this statement is true.
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