Question

A circle has center $(-10, -4)$ and radius $13.$ Another circle has center $(3, 9)$ and radius $\sqrt{65}.$ The line passing through the two points of intersection of the two circles has equation $x + y = c.$ What is $c?$

$3$

$3\sqrt{3}$

$4\sqrt{2}$

$6$

$\dfrac{13}{2}$

Answer: A

Concepts:radical axis circle coordinate geometry

Difficulty rating: 1410

Solution:

The circles are $(x+10)^2 + (y+4)^2 = 169$ and $(x-3)^2 + (y-9)^2 = 65.$ Expanding and subtracting the second from the first cancels the $x^2$ and $y^2$ terms and simplifies to $x + y = 3.$ Any intersection point satisfies this, so it is the line through both, and $c = 3.$

Thus, the correct answer is A.

2017 AMC 12B Problem 9

Answer: A

Difficulty rating: 1410

Solution:

Problem 9 in Other Years