SOLUTION: the length of a tangent from a point A at distance 5cm from the center of the circle is 4 cm.Find the radius of the circle

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Question 1099385: the length of a tangent from a point A at distance 5cm from the center of the circle is 4 cm.Find the radius of the circle
Answer by ikleyn(52781) About Me  (Show Source):
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The tangent line and the radius to the tangent point are perpendicular.


Together with the line connecting the given point with the center, they make a right angled triangle.


Its hypotenuse is 5 cm and one leg is 4 cm.


Hence, the other leg is 3 cm (3-4-5 right angled triangle), and this leg is the radius.


Answer.  The radius of the circle is 3 cm.