Source: Extra Practice
A circle passes through the points and and has its center on the line . The equation of the tangent to this circle at the point is:
Options
Option A
Option B
Option C is correct
Option D
Explanation
Let the center of the circle be . Since the circle passes through and , the perpendicular bisector of the chord connecting these points must pass through the center. The midpoint of the chord is . The chord is vertical, so its perpendicular bisector is the horizontal line . Thus, . Since the center lies on the line , substitute : . So, the center of the circle is . The radius squared of the circle is . The equation of the circle is . To find the equation of the tangent at , we can use the formula : . Substituting , , and : . Dividing by , we get . Thus, option C is correct.