Three non-overlapping, non-touching circles are drawn in a plane. What is the maximum number of distinct common tangents that can be drawn to them in total?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
The correct answer is option 4 i.e. 12.
Three non-overlapping circles → Maximum common tangents
Each pair of circles can have up to 4 common tangents.
For 3 circles, total possible = 4 × 3 = 12