Question

Can someone please explain how to do this Geometry problem?

Answer 1

Someone was replying... but they stopped....

Answer 2

AccesDenied, please, I'm desperate for aide.

Answer 3

Your formula is going to be X+12/8=8/x

Answer 4

Do it in picture form, please

Answer 5

Problems like these, where a tangent meets another line outside of a circle, can be solved with the formula:

(Outside part of non-tangent) * (Entire length of non-tangent) = (Tangent part)^2

That gives the formula x(12+x) = 64.

This is a big ugly, though. First you distribute the x and get the 64 to the other side:

x^2 + 12x - 64 = 0

Then you need to factor, or use quadratic formula. In this case:

(x+16)(x-4) = 0

So x has to be -16 or 4. Obviously, x can't be negative, so the answer has to be 4.

Answer 6

Ugh... don't quite understand

Answer 7

Which part? Solving the equation, or where the equation came from in the first place?

Answer 8

Where the equation come from