Question

Construct a tangent to a circle of radius 4cm from a point which is at a distance of 6cm from its center.

Answer 1

Steps of construction

1. Draw a circle of radius 4 cm. Let centre of this circle is O.

2. Take a point M at 6cm away from the radius.

3. Join OM and bisect it. Now, with M and O as centres and with radius more than half of draw two arcs on the either sides of the line OM. Let the arc meet at A and B,just that, M₁ be mid-point of OM.

4. Taking M₁ as centre and M₁O as radius draw a circle to intersect circle with radius 4 and centre O at two points P and Q.

5. Join PM and QM. PM and QM are the required tangents from M to circle with centre O and radius 4.