Let S be the set of circles in the coordinate plane that are tangent to each of the three circles with equations x2+y2=4,x2+y2=64, and (x−5)2+y2=3. What is the sum of the areas of all circles in S?
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Solution
Call the concentric circles of radii 2 and 8 the inner and outer circles. Let a desired circle have radius r and let its center be distance d from the origin. It must be internally tangent to the outer circle, so d+r=8.
If it is externally tangent to the inner circle, then d−r=2, giving (r,d)=(3,5). If it contains the inner circle, then r−d=2, giving (r,d)=(5,3). Thus every desired circle has radius 3 or 5.
The third given circle has radius 3 and center (5,0). For either value of r, a desired circle may be internally or externally tangent to it, so the distance between their centers is r−3 or r+3. In all four cases, if this distance is q, then ∣d−q∣<5<d+q, so the circle of possible centers intersects the circle of radius d about the origin in two points, symmetric across the x-axis, as shown. Hence there are 4 desired circles of each radius.
The total area is therefore 4(52π+32π)=136π. Thus, E is the correct answer.