SOLUTION: Two intersecting circles of radii 10 cm and 17 cm respectively have a common chord of length 16 cm. Find the distance between the centers of the circles.

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Question 940992: Two intersecting circles of radii 10 cm and 17 cm respectively have a common chord of length 16 cm. Find the distance between the centers of the circles.
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) About Me  (Show Source):
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Two intersecting circles of radii 10 cm and 17 cm respectively have a common chord of length 16 cm.
Find the distance between the centers of the circles.
:
Draw this out, you can see two different right triangles are formed by:
half the chord, (8)
the radius to the end of the chord (10 & 17) (the hypotenuse)
the distance from the centers to the chord.
:
d = sqrt%2817%5E2+-+8%5E2%29 + sqrt%2810%5E2+-+8%5E2%29
d = 21 cm between the two centers