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Re: Fast help for circle problem

• To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
• Subject: [mg13327] Re: [mg13261] Fast help for circle problem
• From: MJE <evans.nospam at gte.net>
• Date: Mon, 20 Jul 1998 02:49:49 -0400
• Organization: None
• References: <199807170717.DAA06619@smc.vnet.net.>
• Sender: owner-wri-mathgroup at wolfram.com

Funny thing -- a fellow engineer asked me this same type of question a
few months ago.  This is a classic four-bar linkage problem.  Look up
the answer in a dynamics textbook.  The four bars are joined at the
centers of the circles.

Regards,

Mark E.


jmittag wrote:
> 
> We are looking for a solution for the following problem:
> 
> Given are 3 circles, each with center coordinates and radius. Circle 1
> is touching circle 2 and circle 2 is touching circle 3 (without any
> intersection). As a special case circle 1 is also touching circle 3.
> 
> We are looking for circle 4, which is touching circles 1 to 3.
> 
> The equation for one circle "i" is as follows:
> 
> (ri+r4)^2=(x4-xi)^2+(y4-yi)^2   with i = 1,2,3
> 
> We need a symbolic solution for x4, y4 and r4.
> 
> Thanks in advance!
> 
> Jens Mittag
> 
> email: Jens.Mittag at tu-berlin.de

• References:
  • Fast help for circle problem
    • From: jmittag <jmittag@b7-01.bv.TU-Berlin.DE>