Two circles touch each other externally at P. AB is a common tangent to the circle touching them at A and B. The value of APB is


Draw a tangent from a point T on B to P.


Property 1: 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.


Property 2: Sum of all angles of a triangle = 180°.


By property 1,


TA = TP (tangent from T)


TB = TP (tangent from T)


Now in ∆ATP,


TA = TP


APT = PAT


And in ∆BTP,


TB = TP


BPT = PBT


By property 2,


APB + PBA + PAB = 180°


APB + PBT + PAT = 180°


APB + BPT + APT = 180° [ APT = PAT and BPT = PBT]


APB + APB = 180° [∵∠APB = BPT + APT]


2APB = 180°



APB = 90°


Hence, APB = 90°

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