Exams › SSC CGL (Prelims) › General

Four non-overlapping, non-touching circles are drawn in a plane. What is the maximum number of distinct common tangents that can be drawn to them in total?

1. 16
2. 18
3. 20
4. 24

Correct answer: 24

Solution

Two non-overlapping, non-touching circles can have up to 4 common tangents. For four such circles arranged so that every pair contributes the maximum, the total number of distinct common tangents is 24. This is the standard maximum count used in such geometry questions.

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