SOLUTION: If there are two nonoverlapping, nonintersecting circles in a plane, four lines can be tangent to both circles at the same time. How could the circles be arranged so that there are

Question 385218: If there are two nonoverlapping, nonintersecting circles in a plane, four lines can be tangent to both circles at the same time. How could the circles be arranged so that there are 3 or 2 or 1 or 0 lines tangent to both at the same time? (Explain an answer for each possibility. They are all possible)
Answer by armstrkl(28) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
3 tangents - the circles are touching at 1 point. there are 2 external tangents and 1 internal tangent going thru the point where they touch
2 tangents - the circles are overlapping like a venn diagram - there are 2 external tangents
1 tangent - one circle is inside of the other and they are touching at exactly one point. the tangent is on the outside of both circles going through that point.
0 tangents - there is one circle completely inside of another circle
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