The maximum number of common tangents that can be drawn to two given circles is
Question
The maximum number of common tangents that can be drawn to two given circles is
Solution
The maximum number of common tangents that can be drawn to two given circles is 4.
Here's the step by step explanation:
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If the two circles are separate (not touching each other), then you can draw 4 tangents. Two of these are direct tangents, where the line touches both circles without crossing the space between them. The other two are transverse tangents, where the line touches both circles but crosses the space between them.
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If the two circles touch each other externally, then you can draw 3 tangents. Two of these are direct tangents and one is a common tangent at the point where the circles touch.
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If the two circles intersect, then you can draw 2 tangents. These are the lines that touch both circles at the points of intersection.
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If one circle is completely inside the other, then you can draw only 1 tangent. This is the line that touches both circles at the point where the inner circle touches the outer circle from inside.
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If the two circles coincide (i.e., they are actually the same circle), then you cannot draw any tangents that are common to both circles.
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