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INTERNAL TANGENT OF A CIRCLE

Internal Tangent Of A Circle

Definition Of Internal Tangent Of A Circle

A tangent that is common to two circles and intersects the segment joining the centers of the circles is called Common Internal Tangent.

More About Internal Tangent of a Circle

A common tangent can either be a common external tangent or a common internal tangent.

Video Examples:Construction: Internal Tangents To Two Circles
 

Example of Internal Tangent of a Circle

 example of Internal Tangent of a Circle

In figure, AB line is the common internal tangent of two circles.

         example of Internal Tangent of a Circle

In figure, CD line is the common internal tangent of two circles.

Solved Example on Internal Tangent of a Circle

Ques: Identify the common internal tangent line from the given figure. 


 example of Internal Tangent of a Circle

Choices:

A. AB line
B. CD line
C. EF line
D. none of the above
Correct Answer: A

Solution:

Step 1: A tangent that is common to two circles and intersects the segment
joining the centers of the circles is called Common Internal Tangent.
Step 2: In figure, line AB is the common tangent as it intersects the segments joining the centers of two circles.
Step 3: So, AB is the common internal tangent line. 

Quick Summary

  • An internal tangent is a line tangent to two circles.
  • The internal tangent intersects the line segment connecting the centers of the two circles.
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🍎 Teacher Insights

Use visual aids and dynamic geometry software to demonstrate the concept. Emphasize the difference between internal and external tangents.

🎓 Prerequisites

  • Tangent to a Circle
  • Properties of Circles
  • Line Segments
  • Intersection of Lines

Check Your Knowledge

Q1: Which of the following lines is an internal tangent to the two circles?

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do you identify an internal tangent?
A: An internal tangent intersects the line segment connecting the centers of the two circles.

Q: Is there a formula to find the length of the internal tangent?
A: Yes, the length can be found using the Pythagorean theorem after constructing a right triangle involving the radii and the distance between the centers.

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