Maths > Circles > 8.0 Equation of tangent to a circle

  Circles
    1.0 Definition
    2.0 Equation of circle in various forms
    3.0 Intercepts made by a circle on coordinate axis
    4.0 Position of a point with respect to a circle
    5.0 Maximum and minimum distance of a point from a circle
    6.0 Intersection of a line and a circle
    7.0 Length of intercept cutoff from a line by a circle or length of chord of a circle
    8.0 Equation of tangent to a circle
    9.0 Tangents from a point to the circle
    10.0 Length of tangent from a point to a circle
    11.0 Common Tangents
    12.0 Equation of common tangents
    13.0 Pair of tangents
    14.0 Normal to a circle at a given point
    15.0 Common chord of two circles
    16.0 Equation of chord joining two points on circle
    17.0 Equation of chord of circle whose midpoint is given
    18.0 Chord of contact
    19.0 Orthogonal Circles
    20.0 Director Circle
    21.0 Family of circles

8.4 Parametric form
Equation of tangent to the circle ${x^2} + {y^2} = {a^2}$ at a point $\left( {a\cos \theta ,a\sin \theta } \right)$ is $$x\cos \theta + y\sin \theta = a$$

Proof: The equation of tangent of circle ${x^2} + {y^2} = {a^2}$ at a point $({x_1},{y_1})$ using point form of tangent is $$x{x_1} + y{y_1} = {a^2}$$
Put ${x_1} = a\cos \theta $ and ${y_1} = a\sin \theta $, we get $$x\cos \theta + y\sin \theta = a$$


Question 19. Show that the line $\left( {x - 2} \right)\cos \theta + \left( {y - 2} \right)\sin \theta = 1$ touches a circle for all values of $\theta $. Find the circle.

Solution: Since tangent at a point $(\cos \theta ,\sin \theta )$ of circle ${x^2} + {y^2} = 1...(1)$ using parametric form is $$x\cos \theta + y\sin \theta = 1...(2)$$
Replacing $x$ by $x-2$ and $y$ by $y-2$ in equations $(1)$ and $(2)$ then, $${\left( {x - 2} \right)^2} + {\left( {y - 2} \right)^2} = 1...(3)$$ $$\left( {x - 2} \right)\cos \theta + \left( {y - 2} \right)\sin \theta = 1...(4)$$
Hence, equation $(4)$ is the equation of tangent to the circle represented by equation $(3)$.

Therefore, the equation of circle is $${\left( {x - 2} \right)^2} + {\left( {y - 2} \right)^2} = 1$$ $${x^2} + {y^2} - 4x - 4y + 7 = 0$$
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