Question 1039550
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One equation is a circle, and the other is a straight line.  A circle and a straight line can intersect in 0, 1, or 2 points.  The two particular equations that you provided do, in fact, intersect in two points.


A more general question and one that would better illustrate the concept that I think your instructor was trying to communicate would be:


<i>What is the greatest number of solutions to the following system of equations:


*[tex \LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ (x\ -\ h)^2\ +\ (y\ -\ k)^2\ =\ r^2]


*[tex \LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ Ax\ +\ By\ =\ C]


where *[tex \Large r] is any real constant > 0.</i>


The answer is the same, but the general case illustrates all three possibilities.


John
*[tex \LARGE e^{i\pi}\ +\ 1\ =\ 0]
My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it
<img src="http://c0rk.blogs.com/gr0undzer0/darwin-fish.jpg">
*[tex \Large \ \
*[tex \LARGE \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \  

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