Question

A circle can have ………. parallel tangents at the most.

Answer 1

Hint: Here we have to determine the maximum number of parallel tangents that can be drawn on a circle. For that, we will first draw a circle and then draw two parallel tangents at the point of contact of diameter to determine the number of parallel tangents that can be drawn at most.

Complete step by step solution:
We know that the radius drawn on a circle to the point at which the tangent is drawn is perpendicular to that tangent. This means that the contact radii of the two parallel tangents form a perfect diameter of the circle or in other words we can say that the two parallel tangents lie at the end points of the diameter of that circle.
We know that the diameter meets the circle at two points. So there is no more space to draw a third parallel tangent on the circle.
Hence, a circle can have maximum two parallel tangents or we can say that only two parallel tangents can be drawn on a circle.
Now, we will draw the figure of a circle with two parallel tangents.

Hence, a circle can have maximum two parallel tangents .

Note: We need to keep in mind that a tangent touches the circle at only one point i.e. the tangent never crosses the circle. Two parallel tangents always lie at the end points of the diameter of the circle. We can say that a circle can have maximum two parallel tangents. Also the tangent is perpendicular to the radius of a circle.