Inscribed Tangent Circles in Right Triangle

XAT 2024 · Quantitative Ability & Data Interpretation · Medium · Geometry

Consider a right-angled triangle ABCABC, right angled at BB. Two circles, each of radius rr, are drawn inside the triangle in such a way that one of them touches ABAB and BCBC, while the other one touches ACAC and BCBC. The two circles also touch each other.

If AB=18 cmAB = 18\text{ cm} and BC=24 cmBC = 24\text{ cm}, then find the value of rr.

  1. A.

    3 cm

  2. B.

    4 cm

  3. C.

    3.5 cm

  4. D.

    4.5 cm

  5. E.

    None of the remaining options is correct.

Answer

B

Explanation

In ΔABC\Delta ABC, AB=18,BC=24,AC=30AB = 18, BC = 24, AC = 30. Draw a common internal tangent line MNMN perpendicular to BCBC. This splits ΔABC\Delta ABC into a smaller right-angled triangle ΔMNC\Delta MNC which is similar to ΔABC\Delta ABC. In ΔMNC\Delta MNC, the second circle is the incircle of ΔMNC\Delta MNC. Ratio of sides of ΔMNC\Delta MNC is 3:4:53:4:5, so let MN=3x,NC=4x,MC=5xMN = 3x, NC = 4x, MC = 5x. Inradius of ΔMNC\Delta MNC is r=3x+4x−5x2=xr = \frac{3x + 4x - 5x}{2} = x. For the first circle, its center is at distance rr from ABAB and BCBC, and it touches the second circle, so BN=2r=2xBN = 2r = 2x. We have BC=BN+NC=2x+4x=6x=24  ⟹  x=4BC = BN + NC = 2x + 4x = 6x = 24 \implies x = 4. Thus, r=4 cmr = 4\text{ cm}.

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