Given:

AB = 8 cm

PE = 3 cm

Property: If two tangents are drawn to a circle from one external point, then their tangent segments (lines joining the external point and the points of tangency on circle) are equal.

By above property,

AB = AC = 8 cm (tangent from A)

PE = CE = 3 cm (tangent from E)

Now,

AE = AC – CE

⇒ AE = 8 cm – 3 cm

⇒ AE = 5 cm

Hence, AE = 5 cm