A circle has a radius of 5. A chord AB has length 8. What is the shortest distance from the center of the circle to the chord AB?

✓ Correct Answer: Option B

Drawing a radius to each end of the chord forms an isosceles triangle. The perpendicular distance from the center to the chord bisects the chord. This creates a right triangle with hypotenuse (radius) 5 and one leg (half-chord) 4. The other leg (distance) is found using the Pythagorean theorem: 3^2 + 4^2 = 5^2.