Answer:
AB is tangent to the circle
Step-by-step explanation:
The tangent of a circle is always perpendicular (at a right angle) to the radius. Therefore, if AB is the tangent to the circle, the angle between the radius and AB will be 90° (and ΔBAO will be a right triangle).
Pythagoras Theorem
[tex]a^2+b^2=c^2[/tex]
where:
- a and b are the legs of the right triangle
- c is the hypotenuse (longest side) of the right triangle
Given:
Substitute the given values into the formula:
[tex]\implies 12^2+16^2=20^2[/tex]
[tex]\implies 144+256=400[/tex]
[tex]\implies 400=400[/tex]
Therefore, as ΔBAO is a right triangle with ∠BAO = 90°, AB is tangent to the circle.
