Tangent Lines to Circles Worksheet

Tangent Lines to Circles

Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. Show all your work for full credit.

1. What is the measure of the angle formed by a tangent line and the radius drawn to the point of tangency?

2. From an external point, how many tangent segments can be drawn to a circle?

1. A line that intersects a circle at exactly one point is called a   line.

2. The distance from the center of a circle to a tangent line is equal to the   of the circle.

3. If two tangent segments are drawn to a circle from the same external point, then the segments are  .

1. In the diagram below, AB is tangent to circle O at point A. If OA = 6 and OB = 10, find the length of AB.

2. A point P is 13 cm from the center of a circle with a radius of 5 cm. Find the length of the tangent segment from P to the circle.

1. A tangent line can intersect a circle at two points.

2. The two tangent segments from an external point to a circle are congruent.

1. A common external tangent segment is drawn to two circles with radii 6 cm and 3 cm. If the distance between the centers of the circles is 15 cm, find the length of the common external tangent segment.