The length of AB is 9.
Solution:
Given data:
Radius OC = 8
Tangent AC = 15
The angle between the tangent and radius is always right angle.
∠C = 90°.
Hence OCA is a right triangle.
Using Pythagoras theorem,
<em>In a right triangle square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.</em>
Taking square root on both sides of the equation, we get
OA = 17
OB is the radius of the circle.
⇒ OB = 8
AB = OA – OB
= 17 – 8
= 9
AB = 9
Hence the length of AB is 9.