Tangent to Circle at Point

If a man's wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics. — Francis Bacon

2.8 Tangent to Circle at Point
Level Information
Instruction:	Construct a tangent to the circle at the given point.
Goal:	2L 3E
Available Tools:
Location Information
Pack:	Beta
Previous Level:	Tutorial: Perpendicular
Next Level:	2.9 Circle Tangent to Line

2L solution

Let O be the center of the circle and A the point on it.

1. Construct line OA
2. Construct the perpendicular to the line OA from point A

3E solution

Let O be the center of the circle and A the point on it.

1. Construct a circle with an arbitrary center B on the circle and radius AB, intersecting circle O at C
2. Construct the circle with center A and radius AC, intersecting circle B at D
3. Construct line AD

Explanation

Solution 2L is easy as a tangent is simply a line perpendicular to a radius at a point on the circle.

Solution 3E is an application of Thales' Theorem. Let DA intersect the bigger circle again at E. ∠ECD is a right angle by Thales' theorem. Let EC intersect the smaller circle again at F. Since CDAF is cyclic and ∠FCD = 90°, ∠FAD = 90° and it passes through the center. So, DE is a tangent.

List of Levels

Alpha Angle of 60° • Perpendicular Bisector • Midpoint • Circle in Square • Rhombus in Rectangle • Circle Center • Inscribed Square Beta Angle Bisector • Intersection of Angle Bisectors • Angle of 30° • Double Angle • Cut Rectangle • Drop a Perpendicular • Erect a Perpendicular • Tangent to Circle at Point • Circle Tangent to Line • Circle in Rhombus Gamma Chord Midpoint • Triangle by Angle and Orthocenter • Intersection of Perpendicular Bisectors • Three equal segments - 1 • Circle through Point Tangent to Line • Midpoints of Trapezoid Bases • Angle of 45° • Lozenge • Center of Quadrilateral Delta Double Segment • Angle of 60° - 2 • Circumscribed Equilateral Triangle • Equilateral Triangle in Circle • Cut Two Rectangles • Square Root of 2 • Square Root of 3 • Angle of 15° • Square by Opposite Midpoints • Square by Adjacent Midpoints • Square by Two Vertices Epsilon Parallel Line • Parallelogram by Three Vertices • Line Equidistant from Two Points - 1 • Line Equidistant from Two Points - 2 • Hash • Shift Angle • Line Equidistant from Two Lines • Circumscribed Square • Square in Square • Circle Tangent to Square Side • Regular Hexagon Zeta Point Reflection • Reflection • Copy Segment • Given Angle Bisector • Non-collapsing Compass • Translate Segment • Triangle by Three Sides • Parallelogram • Nine Point Circle • Symmetry of Four Lines • Parallelogram by Three Midpoints Eta Sum of Areas of Squares • Annulus • Angle of 75° • Line Equidistant from Three Points • Heron's Problem • Circumscribed Circle • Inscribed Circle • Circle Tangent to Three Lines • Segment by Midpoint • Angle Isosceles • Excircle Theta Perimeter Bisector • Angle 54° Trisection • Interior Angles • Regular Octagon • Triangle Cleaver • Torricelli Point • Circle Equidistant from Four Points • Octagon from Square • Egyptian Triangle by Side of Length 4 • Chord Parallel to Segment Iota Minimum Perimeter - 1 • Third Proportional • Harmonic Mean of Trapezoid Bases • Drop a Perpendicular* • Midpoint* • Trisection by Trapezoid Diagonals • Minimum Perimeter - 2 • Harmonic Mean of Segments • Triangle by Angle and Centroid • Triangle Mid-Segment Kappa Tangent of Circle • Outer Tangent • Inner Tangent • Rotation 90° • Rotation 60° • Segment Trisection • Segment Trisection* • Chord Trisection • Three Circles - 1 • Secant Bisection • Three Circles - 2 • Center of Rotation Lambda Fourth Proportional • Geometric Mean of Segments • Golden Section • Angle of 54° • Third Parallel Line • Circle in Angle • Geometric Mean of Trapezoid Bases • Regular Pentagon • Point Farthest from Angle Sides • Ratio 1 to 5 Mu Triangle by Midpoints • Triangle by Side and Centroid • Triangle by Altitude Base Points • Triangle by Tangent Points • Triangle by Excenters • Equilateral Triangle by Centroid and Two Points • Right Triangle by Two Points on Legs • Hypotenuse and Altitude • Hypotenuse and Leg • Isosceles Triangle by Tangent Points Nu Circle Tangent to Line and Circle • Equilateral Triangle - 2 • Equilateral Triangle on Concentric Circles • Square in Triangle • Point Equidistant from Side of Angle and Point • Circle Through Two Points and Tangent to Line • Inscribed Square - 2 • Line Reflection • Square by Four Points Xi Rhombus in Triangle • Circle Tangent to Two Circles • Triangle by Tangent Point on Hypotenuse • Parallelogram on Four Lines • Arbelos Omicron Midpoint* • Copy Circle • Line-Circle Intersection • Three Equal Segments • Tangent to Circle* • Napoleon's Problem • Drop a Perpendicular** • Line-Circle Intersection* • Circle with Center on Line • Angle of 3° • Mickey Mouse Tutorials Equilateral Triangle • Intersect Tool • Perpendicular Bisector • Move Tool • Angle Bisector • Perpendicular • Parallel Line • Compass