Trigonometry – Find the angle $\alpha$ between center and tangential lines of a circle

algebra-precalculusgeometrytrigonometry

I have been solving a few problems involving circles and various intersecting lines lately. Some are actually pretty complicated. Here is a particular one that takes some effort. (It has to do with the design work of an overpass.)

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Question: The point P is the cross point between a line that passes through the center of a circle and a line that is tangential to the circle. The point Q is on the center line whose vertical distance to the tangential line is equal to its horizontal distance to the circle. Show that the angle between the center and the tangential lines is:
$$\alpha = \tan^{-1}\left[ \frac{1+s-s\sqrt{2s(1+s)}}{s+(1+s)\ \sqrt{2s(1+s)}} \right]$$
where $s=d/r$ is the ratio of the distance $d$ and the radius of the circle with $d<r$. (It is noted that there are various ways to express the angle depending on setups and real effort may be to show the particular expression of interest given above.)

Best Answer

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\begin{align} \tan\alpha&=\frac{|FQ|}{|PQ|} =\frac{|IB_t|}{|PB_t|} \tag{1}\label{1} . \end{align}

Let $|PQ|=x$. Then

\begin{align} |PB_t|&= \sqrt{|PI|^2-|IB_t|^2} =\sqrt{(x+d+r)^2-r^2} . \end{align}

From \eqref{1} \begin{align} \frac dx&= \frac{r}{\sqrt{(x+d+r)^2-r^2}} ,\\ \frac{d^2}{x^2}&= \frac{r^2}{(x+d+r)^2-r^2} =\frac{r^2}{x^2+2x(d+r)+d(d+2r)} , \end{align}

\begin{align} (d^2-r^2)\,x^2+2\,d^2\,(d+r)\,x+d^3\,(d+2r)&=0 , \end{align}

\begin{align} x&= \frac{d^2(d+r+r\sqrt{2(1+r/d)})}{r^2-d^2} ,\\ \tan\alpha&= \frac dx= \frac{r^2-d^2}{d(d+r+r\sqrt{2(1+r/d)})} \\ &= \frac{1-s^2}{s^2+s+\sqrt{2\,s\,(s+1)}} . \end{align} Now, show that

\begin{align} \frac{1-s^2}{s^2+s+\sqrt{2\,s\,(s+1)}} - \frac{1+s-s\,\sqrt{2s(s+1)}}{s+(1+s)\sqrt{2s(s+1)}} \equiv0 . \end{align}