Exams › SSC CGL (Prelims) › General

The length of each of two tangents drawn from an external point to a circle is 15 cm. What is the distance from the external point to the center of the circle, if the radius is 8 cm?

1. 12 cm
2. 15 cm
3. 17 cm
4. 23 cm

Correct answer: 17 cm

Solution

The radius to the point of tangency is perpendicular to the tangent, so the center, tangency point, and external point form a right triangle. With tangent length 15 cm and radius 8 cm, the distance from the external point to the center is $\sqrt{15^2+8^2}=\sqrt{289}=17$ cm.

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