CameraIcon
CameraIcon
SearchIcon
MyQuestionIcon
MyQuestionIcon
1
You visited us 1 times! Enjoying our articles? Unlock Full Access!
Question

Circles C1 and C2 are externally tangent and they are both internally tangent to the circle C3. The radii of C1 and C2 are 4 and 10, respectively and the centres of the three circles are collinear. A chord of C3 is also a common internal tangent of C1 and C2. Given that the length of the chord is mnp where m,n and p are positive integers, m and p are relatively prime and n is not divisible by the square of any prime, find the value of (m+n+p).

Open in App
Solution

Let $O_1, O_2, O_3$ be the centers and $r_1 = 4, r_2 = 10,r_3 = 14$ the radii of the circles $C_1, C_2, C_3$. Let $T_1, T_2$ be the points of tangency from the common external tangent of $C_1, C_2$, respectively, and let the extension of $\overline{T_1T_2}$ intersect the extension of $\overline{O_1O_2}$ at a point $H$. Let the endpoints of the chord/tangent be $A,B$, and the foot of the perpendicular from $O_3$ to $\overline{AB}$ be $T$. From the similar right triangles

$\triangle HO_1T_1 \sim \triangle HO_2T_2 \sim \triangle HO_3T$,

\[\frac{HO_1}{4} = \frac{HO_1+14}{10} = \frac{HO_1+10}{O_3T}.\]

It follows that $HO_1 = \frac{28}{3}$, and that $O_3T = \frac{58}{7}$.

By the Pythagorean Theorem on $\triangle ATO_3$, we find that

\[AB = 2AT = 2\left(\sqrt{r_3^2 - O_3T^2}\right) = 2\sqrt{14^2 - \frac{58^2}{7^2}} = \frac{8\sqrt{390}}{7}\]

and the answer is m+n+p=405


773800_695745_ans_95a731f939214d5ab02b1331c9041859.png

flag
Suggest Corrections
thumbs-up
0
similar_icon
Similar questions
View More
Join BYJU'S Learning Program
similar_icon
Related Videos
thumbnail
lock
Two Circles Touching Internally and Externally
MATHEMATICS
Watch in App
Join BYJU'S Learning Program
CrossIcon