How do you find an equation of the circle of radius 4 that is tangent to the x-axis and has its center on x-2y=2?

1 Answer
P dilip_k
Mar 19, 2016

The given circle touches x-axis and its radius is 4 ,so its center will be 4 unit distance apart from the point of contact on x- axis i.e. the ordinate of its center should be +4 or-4. Let the x-coordinate of its center be h then its center would be (h,4) OR (h,-4)

Again it is given that the center is on the line #x-2y=2#
So we can write for center (h,4)
#h-2*4=2 => h=10#
equation of the circle having center#(10,4) #and radius 4
#(x-10)^2+(y-4)^2=16#

for center (h,-4)
#h-2*(-4)=2=>h=-6#

equation of the circle having center#(-6-4) #and radius 4
#(x+6)^2+(y+4)^2=16#

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