Correct Answer:
D. Infinite
Explanation:
The correct answer is Infinite because a circle is made up of an endless number of points, and a unique tangent line can touch every single one.
- Step 1 (Define a Tangent): A tangent is a straight line that touches the outer boundary of a circle at exactly one single point without crossing through the inside.
- Step 2 (Geometric Logic): Since a circle's circumference has an infinite number of points, you can draw an infinite number of distinct tangent lines all the way around it.
- Incorrect Options:
- One is incorrect because a single circle can have more than one tangent line.
- Two is a common trap; only two tangents can be drawn to a circle from a single external point outside the circle, but the question asks about the circle as a whole.
- 360 is incorrect and confuses the geometric points with the number of degrees in a full rotation.