Tangent Circles

 

Two circles in the same plane are tangent circles if they have exactly one point in common. Tangent circles with no common interior points are externally tangent. If tangent circles have common interior points, then they are internally tangent. Three or more circles are mutually tangent if each pair of them are tangent.

 

Externally Tangent Circles

 

Internally Tangent Circles

 

1. Make sketches to show all possible positions of three mutually tangent circles.

 

2. Make sketches to show all possible positions of four mutually tangent circles.

 

3. Make sketches to show all possible positions of five mutually tangent circles.

 

4. Write a conjecture about the number of possible positions for n mutually tangent

circles if n is a whole number greater than four.