Question 14 Marks
The absolute difference between the squares of the radii of the two circles passing through the point $(-9,4)$ and touching the lines $x+y=3$ and $x-y=3$, is equal to __________.
Answer
View full question & answer→(768)
Explanation:

Centre (a, 0)
$r=\left|\frac{a-0-3}{\sqrt{2}}\right|$
$\operatorname{circle}(x-a)^2+y^2=\left(\frac{a-3}{\sqrt{2}}\right)^2$
$\begin{array}{l}\text { passes through }(-9,4) \\
2\left( a ^2+18 a +81+16\right)=\left( a ^2-6 a +9\right) \\
a ^2+42 a +185=0 \\
( a +37)( a +5)=0 \\
\Rightarrow a =-37,-5 \\
r _1=\left|\frac{-37-3}{\sqrt{2}}\right|=20 \sqrt{2} \\
r _2=\left|\frac{-5-3}{\sqrt{2}}\right|=4 \sqrt{2} \\
\left| r _1^2- r _2^2\right|=|800-32|=768\end{array}$
Explanation:

Centre (a, 0)
$r=\left|\frac{a-0-3}{\sqrt{2}}\right|$
$\operatorname{circle}(x-a)^2+y^2=\left(\frac{a-3}{\sqrt{2}}\right)^2$
$\begin{array}{l}\text { passes through }(-9,4) \\
2\left( a ^2+18 a +81+16\right)=\left( a ^2-6 a +9\right) \\
a ^2+42 a +185=0 \\
( a +37)( a +5)=0 \\
\Rightarrow a =-37,-5 \\
r _1=\left|\frac{-37-3}{\sqrt{2}}\right|=20 \sqrt{2} \\
r _2=\left|\frac{-5-3}{\sqrt{2}}\right|=4 \sqrt{2} \\
\left| r _1^2- r _2^2\right|=|800-32|=768\end{array}$
