A tangent line touches circle O at point T. OT = 5 and the external point P is 13 units from the center O. What is the length of tangent segment PT?
A8
B10
C12
D14
Explanation
The tangent is perpendicular to the radius at the point of tangency. Using the Pythagorean theorem: PT = √(OP² − OT²) = √(13² − 5²) = √(169 − 25) = √144 = 12.
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