If two circles are externally tangent, how many common tangents do they have?
2007-08-05 16:29:11 · 3 answers · asked by ½ÃÂù ± 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
They have TWO degenerate common tangents, which would commonly be called ONE tangent. (This is consistent with the notion that a chord meets a circle in two points in general, but in the case of the tangent it meets the circle in TWO degenerate, that is two COINCIDENT points.)
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2007-08-05 17:19:16 · answer #1 · answered by Dr Spock 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Uhh... one. A tangent consists of a point on a shape, curve or line that touches only one point of a shape, curve or line without intersecting.
So they share one.
2007-08-05 16:34:43 · answer #2 · answered by neofrog46307 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yep..only one
2007-08-05 16:43:01 · answer #3 · answered by Natasha 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋