9709 · May/June 2025 · examinable unit

9709/11 Question 8

Cambridge Mathematics · 8 marks · syllabus 1.3. This page is the question object — what is being tested — not the mark scheme.

Stem preview

The circle with equation x² +y²-6x+10y-27 = 0 intersects the line x =-2 at the points P and Q. Find the area of the triangle formed by the tangents to the…

Full stem stays in the official paper. We show a short excerpt so you can identify the item, then attempt your own answer.

What the examiner is asking

This 9709/11 item (8 marks, May/June 2025) is testing whether you can apply syllabus 1.3 under timed exam conditions — not whether you can recall a textbook paragraph. Read the command word, identify the quantity or argument required, and plan the mark-earning steps before you write.

Prerequisite concepts

Core definitions and relationships for syllabus 1.3
Command-word literacy (state / describe / explain / calculate / deduce)
Showing method lines examiners can credit even if the final answer slips

Open prerequisite lesson

Similar practice

After you attempt this question, mark it, then take another 9709 past-paper item on the same topic so the weakness becomes a habit fix — not a one-off score.

Try it yourself — mark my answer How marks are awarded (assessment page)