Find the radius of the smallest circle in the figure

Geometry Level 3

Square A B C D ABCD has two touching circles--a red circle having a radius of 3 and an orange circle having a radius of 6--which are both tangent to line segment M N MN that is parallel to side A B . AB. Line segment R S RS goes through the three points of tangency and divides A B C D ABCD in half.

If line segment PC is tangent to the orange circle, what is the radius of the blue circle inscribed in triangle C N P ? CNP?


The answer is 2.

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2 solutions

Let O O be the center of the orange circle. Then, since the side length of the square is 2 ( 6 + 3 ) = 18 2(6 + 3) = 18 ,

tan ( O C S ) = 6 9 = 2 3 O C S = tan 1 ( 2 3 ) \tan(\angle OCS) = \dfrac{6}{9} = \dfrac{2}{3} \Longrightarrow \angle OCS = \tan^{-1}\left(\dfrac{2}{3}\right) .

Now as P C PC is tangent to the orange circle we see that P C O = O C S = θ \angle PCO = \angle OCS = \theta , and thus

P C N = π 2 2 θ tan ( P C N ) = cot ( 2 θ ) = 1 tan ( 2 θ ) \angle PCN = \dfrac{\pi}{2} - 2\theta \Longrightarrow \tan(\angle PCN) = \cot(2\theta) = \dfrac{1}{\tan(2\theta)} .

Now tan ( 2 θ ) = 2 tan ( θ ) 1 tan 2 ( θ ) = 2 × 2 3 1 ( 2 3 ) 2 = 12 5 \tan(2\theta) = \dfrac{2\tan(\theta)}{1 - \tan^{2}(\theta)} = \dfrac{2 \times \dfrac{2}{3}}{1 - \left(\dfrac{2}{3}\right)^{2}} = \dfrac{12}{5} .

Next, P N = 12 tan ( P C N ) = 12 × 1 12 5 = 5 |PN| = 12\tan(\angle PCN) = 12 \times \dfrac{1}{\dfrac{12}{5}} = 5 ,

so Δ P C N \Delta PCN is a 5 / 12 / 13 5/12/13 right triangle, and thus the inradius is 5 × 12 5 + 12 + 13 = 2 \dfrac{5 \times 12}{5 + 12 + 13} = \boxed{2} .

RS divide the square into halves should be made clear, though I was lucky with the assumption. There could be another answer without it.

Saya Suka - 4 years, 4 months ago

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Good point. I've edited the question to make that assumption explicit.

Brian Charlesworth - 4 years, 4 months ago

But why it is not 3units

ankit raj - 4 years, 4 months ago

Let point where orange circle and blue circle touch each other be Q Then, SC =CQ= 9 Also let the point of contact of blue circle with CN be U and MN be T Then, CQ=CU=9 Join centre of blue circle O with U and T, So we get square be OUNR , UN + CU = CN UN = 12 - 9 UN = 3 In radius =3

ankit raj - 4 years, 4 months ago

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It turns out that, while C P CP is tangent to both the orange and blue circles, they are not tangent to C P CP at the same points, i.e., there is no shared point Q Q .

Brian Charlesworth - 4 years, 4 months ago

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That confused me too!

Dan Ley - 4 years, 4 months ago

Sorry I misunderstood Answer is 2

ankit raj - 4 years, 4 months ago
Ahmad Saad
Jan 22, 2017

Sir, if I may ask, what is the software you use for these diagrams? They are a delight to look at!

Ujjwal Rane - 4 years, 4 months ago

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It's an AutoCAD software program created for Windows.

AutoCAD is used mainly by drafters, although engineers, surveyors and architects .

Ahmad Saad - 4 years, 4 months ago

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Thank you for the information, sir!

Ujjwal Rane - 4 years, 4 months ago

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