Circles

Nishant Vora
B.Tech - IIT Patna
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Equation of Circles
If Centre and Radius is given
Equation of circle whose centre is (a, b) and radius = r is given by

Equation of circle whose centre is (0, 0)

and radius = r is given by
C(a, b)
General Equation of Circle

C(a, b)
Equation of Circle in Diameter Form

(x2, y2)

(x1, y1)
Intercepts made by a circle on the axes :
PYQ
For the four circles M, N, O and P, following four equations are given :
Circle M : x2 + y2 = 1
Circle N : x2 + y2 - 2x = 0
Circle O : x2 + y2 - 2x - 2y + 1 = 0
Circle P : x2 + y2 - 2y = 0
If the centre of circle M is joined with centre of the circle N, further
centre of circle N is joined with centre of the circle O, centre of circle O
is joined with the centre of circle P and lastly, centre of circle P is joined
with centre of circle M, then these lines from the sides of a :

JEE Main 2021

A. Rhombus

B. Square

C. Rectangle

D. Parallelogram
PYQ
If the area of an equilateral triangle inscribed in the circle,
x2 + y2 + 10x + 12y + c = 0 is 27√3 sq. units then c is equal to :

A. 13

B. 20 JEE Main 2019

C. -25

D. 25
Parametric Coordinates of a circle :

C (a, b)
 Parametric coordinates of endpoints of
diameter
(r cos𝜃, r sin𝜃)

C (0, 0)

(- r cos𝜃, - r sin𝜃)
Let PQ be a diameter of the circle x2 + y2 = 9. If α and β are the lengths of the
perpendiculars from P and Q on the straight line, x + y = 2 respectively, then the
maximum value of αβ is _

JEE Main 2021

Position of Point w.r.t
Circle
Position of a point with respect to a circle:
Discuss the position of the points (1, 2) and (6, 0) with respect to the
circle x2 + y2 - 4x + 2y - 11 = 0
Line and Circle
Line and Circle : Method 1
Line and Circle : Method 2
If 4x + 3y - 12 = 0 touches (x - p)2 + (y - p)2 = p2 , then the sum of all
the possible values of p is

NTA Question
PYQ
The number of integral values of k for which the line, 3x + 4y = k
intersects the circle, x2 + y2 - 2x - 4y + 4 = 0 at two distinct points is ___

JEE Main 2021

Equation of Tangent
Equation of tangent to circle :

1. Point Form
2. Parametric Form
3. Slope Form
PYQ
The line 2x - y + 1 = 0 is a tangent to the circle at the point (2,5) and the
centre of the circle lies on x - 2y = 4. Then, the radius of the circle is :

17 Mar 2021 Shift 1

A. 3√5

B. 5√3

C. 5√4

D. 4√5
PYQ
If a line, y = mx + c is a tangent to the circle, (x - 3)2 + y2 = 1 and it is
perpendicular to a line L1, where L1 is the tangent to the circle, x2 + y2 =
1 at the point ; then :

A. c2 - 7c + 6 = 0
JEE Main 2021
B. c2 + 7c + 6 = 0

C. c2 + 6c + 7 = 0

D. c2 - 6c + 7 = 0
Equation of Normal
Equation of Normal :
Find the equation of the normal to the circle x2 + y2 – 2x – 4y + 3 = 0 at
the point (2, 3)
The tangent and the normal lines at the point (√3, 1) to the circle x2 + y2 = 4 and
the x - axis form a triangle. The area of this triangle (in square units) is :

A. 4 / √3 JEE Main 2021

B. 1/3

C. 2 / √3

D. 1 / √3
Length of Tangent &
Power of Point
 Length of tangent from external point

P (x1, y1)
Find the length of the tangent drawn from the point (5, 1) to the circle
x2 + y2 + 6x - 4y - 3 = 0
 Power of Point

P (x1, y1)

Power of a point P is positive, negative

or zero according as the point ‘A’ is
outside, inside or on the circle
respectively.
 Important Figure

O
P (x1, y1)

B
 Important Note:

Circumcircle of ΔPAB will definitely pass through O

O
P

B
If O is the origin and OP, OQ are distinct tangents to the circle
x2 + y2 + 2gx + 2fy + c = 0, then the circumcentre of the triangle OPQ is

A. (-g, -f) NTA Question

B. (g, f)

C. (-f, -g)

D. None of these
Let the tangents drawn from the origin to the circle,
x2 + y2 - 8x - 4y + 16 = 0 touch it at the points A and B. The (AB)2 is equal to :

A. 52/5 JEE Main 2020

B. 56/5
x2 + y2 - 8x - 4y + 16 = 0
C. 64/5

D. 32/5

P (0, 0)
Director Circle
Director circle :
Locus of a point from where two perpendicular tangents can be drawn
to the circle
Find the equation of director circle of the circle (x - 2)2 + (y + 1)2 = 2
Pair of Tangents from
External Point
 valid for all conics
Pair of tangents from a point :
Chord of Contact
 valid for all conics
Chord of contact :
Eqn of chord of contact is given by T = 0

P (x1, y1)
 Eqn of Chord if
Midpoint is given
Equation of the chord with a given middle point :
valid for all conics
Let C1 : x2 + y2 = 5 and C2 : x2 + y2 = 9. The tangent at (1, 2) to C1 meets
the circle C2 at A and B. The tangents drawn at A and B to circle C2
meet at T. Then the coordinates of T are
NTA Question
A. (4, -5)

B. (3/5, 6/5)

C. (4, 5)

D. (9/5, 18/5)
Number of Common
Tangents
Common tangents to two circles :
Common tangents to two circles :
PYQ
The minimum distance between any two points P1 and P2 while
considering point P1 on one circle and point P2 on the other circle for
the given circles equations
x2 + y2 - 10x - 10y + 41 = 0
x2 + y2 - 24x - 10y + 160 = 0 is __.

17 Mar 2021 Shift 1

PYQ
Choose the correct statement about two circles whose equations are
given below :
x2 + y2 - 10x - 10y + 41 = 0
x2 + y2 - 22x - 10y + 137 = 0
18 Mar 2021 Shift 1
A. Circles have same centre

B. Circles have no meeting point

C. Circles have only one meeting point

D. Circles have two meeting points

Angle between two
Circles
Angle between two circles
Orthogonality of two
Circles
Orthogonality of two circles
For what value of k the circles x2 + y2 + 5x + 3y + 7 = 0 and
x2 + y2 - 8x + 6y + k = 0 cut orthogonally.
The C1 and C2 be the centres of the circles x2 + y2 - 2x - 2y - 2 = 0 and x2 + y2 - 6x -
6y + 14 = 0 respectively. If P and Q are the points of intersection of these circles
then, the area (in sq. units) of the quadrilateral PC1QC2 is :

A. 8 JEE Main 2019

B. 6

C. 9

D. 4
Radical Axis and
Radical Center
Radical axis and radical centre :
The radical axis is the locus of points from which length of tangent to two
circles are equal.

The equation of radical axis of the two circles is given by S1 - S2 = 0

Note :
(i) If two circles intersect, then the radical axis is the common chord
of the two circles.
(ii) If two circles touch each other, then the radical axis is the
common tangent of the two circles.
(iii) Radical axis is always perpendicular to the line joining the centres
of the two circles.
(iv) Radical axis will pass through the mid point of the line joining the
centres of the two circles only if the two circles have equal radii.
(v) Radical axis bisects a common tangent between the two circles.
Note :
PYQ
The common tangent to the circles x2 + y2 = 4 and x2 + y2 + 6x + 8y – 24
= 0 also passes through the point:

A. (4, -2)

B. (-6, 4)

C. (6, -2) JEE Main 2021

D. (-4, 6)
Tangents are drawn to the circle x2 + y2 = 16 at the points where it
intersects the circle x2 + y2 - 6x - 8y - 8 = 0, then the point of intersection
of these tangents is

A. (4, 16/3)

B. (12,16) NTA Question

C. (3,4)

D. (16, 12)
Family of Circles
Family of circles :
Case 1
The equation of the family of circles passing through the points of
intersection of two circles S1 = 0 & S2 = 0 is : S1 + λS2 = 0
Family of circles :
Case 2
The equation of the family of circles passing through the point of
intersection of a circle S = 0 & a line L = 0 is given by S + λL = 0
Family of circles :
Case 3
The equation of a family of circles passing through two given points
(x1, y1) & (x2, y2) can be written in the form :
Family of circles :
Case 4
The equation of a family of circles touching a fixed line ax+by+c=0 at
the fixed point (x1, y1) is (x - x1)2 + (y - y1)2 + λ(ax+by+c) = 0, where K is
a parameter.
The line x = y touches a circle at the point (1, 1). If the circle also passes through
the point (1, -3), then its radius is :

A. 3 JEE Main 2021

B. 2√2

C. 2

D. 3√2
If the radius of the circle passing through the origin and touching the
line x + y = 2 at (1,1) is r units, then the value of 3√2 r is

NTA Question
The radius of the circle touching the line x + y = 4 at (1,3) and
intersecting x2 + y2 = 4 orthogonally is

NTA Question
A. 3√2/4 units

B. 3/4 units

C. 3/√2 units

D. 4√2/3 units
A circle touches the y - axis at the point (0, 4) and passes through the point (2, 0).
Which of the following lines is not a tangent to this circle ?

A. 4x - 3y + 17 = 0 JEE Main 2021

B. 3x - 4y - 24 = 0

C. 3x + 4y - 6 = 0

D. 4x + 3y - 8 = 0
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