document.write( "Question 1078608: Find the equation of the circle that passes through (1, 2) and (3,4); tangent to 4x - 3y - 2 = 0 at (-1, -2). \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #693268 by KMST(5328)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Strange problem.
\n" ); document.write( "At first sight, there seems to be too much information.
\n" ); document.write( "Excess information may be useless, but consistent with the rest.
\n" ); document.write( "In this case, there is contradictory information.
\n" ); document.write( "As written, there is no solution.
\n" ); document.write( "Maybe there is a typo.
\n" ); document.write( "Maybe the circle is supposed to just be tangent to the line at (-1,-2),
\n" ); document.write( "and also pass through one other given point.
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\n" ); document.write( "If the circle is tangent to any line at (-1,-2),
\n" ); document.write( "the circle passes through (-1,-2).
\n" ); document.write( "Three non-colinear points determine a circle.
\n" ); document.write( "In other words, given three points that are not on the same line,
\n" ); document.write( "there is one and only one circle that passes through all three.
\n" ); document.write( "So, there is only one circle that passes through
\n" ); document.write( "(1,2) , (3,4) and (-1,-2),
\n" ); document.write( "and that circle is not tangent to the line indicated.
\n" ); document.write( "That circle, with the tree points indicated,
\n" ); document.write( "and the line 4x-3y-2=0 is shown below.
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\n" ); document.write( "I can make a circle go through (1,2) and (3,4) ,
\n" ); document.write( "and be tangent to the line 4x-3y-2=0,
\n" ); document.write( "but I cannot choose the point of tangency,
\n" ); document.write( "and it is not (-1,-2).
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\n" ); document.write( "NOTE: There are a few things to know to find the equation of a circle given some points.
\n" ); document.write( "1) If you know two points on the circle,
\n" ); document.write( "the center of the circle is on the perpendicular bisector
\n" ); document.write( "of the line joining those two points.
\n" ); document.write( "2) If you are given a tangent and the point of tangency,
\n" ); document.write( "the center of the circle is on a line
\n" ); document.write( "perpendicular to the tangent
\n" ); document.write( "and passing through the point of tangency.
\n" ); document.write( "3) If a line through two points A and B on the circle,
\n" ); document.write( "and a tangent to the circle intersect at a point P,
\n" ); document.write( "the point of tangency, T, is located so that
\n" ); document.write( "\"PT%5E2=PA%2APB\"
\n" ); document.write( "4) with the center of the circle and a point on the circle,
\n" ); document.write( "you can find the radius (the distance between those points),
\n" ); document.write( "and have all the information needed to write the equation of the circle.
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