Transverse Common Tangents

A common tangent is called a transverse common tangent if the circles lie on opposite sides of it.

$Transverse Common Tangents$

In the figure, WX is a transverse common tangent as the circle with centre O lies below it and the circle with P lie above it.

YZ is the other transverse common tangent as the circle with centre O lies above it and the circle with centre P lies below it. A transverse common tangent is possible only when the circles are apart.

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