Creating this image in TiKZ

Question

Can anyone help me create this image using TiKZ?

I've managed to draw the circles and such, but they are not in the correct placement and I haven't figured out how to draw the lines like I have drawn in the provided image. Much thanks for helping learn how to use TiKZ!

Answer 1

You mentioned you were able to draw the circles. Not sure why you're not able to get the lines.

Here's an example that should allow you to finish what you want:

\documentclass[border=6pt]{standalone}

\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{calc}

\def\aeRadiusA{2\aes}
\def\aeRadiusB{1.15\aes}
\def\aeRadiusC{1\aes}

\begin{document}

\def\aes{in*0.75}%%
\begin{tikzpicture}
  \coordinate (A) at (0,0);
  \coordinate (B) at ($(A)+(30:4\aes)$);
  \coordinate (C) at ($(B)+(-90:2.5\aes)$);

  \draw[line width=2pt,gray!60,postaction={draw,blue,dashed,line width=1.4pt}] (A) circle (\aeRadiusA);

  \draw (B) circle (\aeRadiusB);
  \draw (C) circle (\aeRadiusC);

  \coordinate (A1a) at ($(A)+(-20:\aeRadiusA*0.75)$);
  \coordinate (C1a) at ($(C)+(90+20:\aeRadiusC*0.75)$);
  \coordinate (A1b) at ($(A1a)+(3pt,2pt)$);
  \coordinate (C1b) at ($(C1a)+(0pt,-2pt)$);

  \coordinate (A2a) at ($(A)+(30:\aeRadiusA*0.65)$);
  \coordinate (B2a) at ($(B)+(140:\aeRadiusB*0.65)$);
  \coordinate (A2b) at ($(A2a)+(15pt,4pt)$);
  \coordinate (B2b) at ($(B2a)+(-4pt,3pt)$);

  \foreach \myA/\myB in {A1/C1,A2/B2}
  {
    \draw[blue] (\myA a) -- (\myB a);
    \draw       (\myA b) -- (\myB b);
  }



  \node[anchor=north west] at (A) {14-graph};
  \node                    at (C) {3-graph};

\end{tikzpicture}

\end{document}

Note that I'm using polar coordinates to place the points within each picture. And because I used a control sequence for each circle, I can easily rescale the radius of each circle and not worry about whether the endpoints of the segments connecting the interiors remain within their respective circles.

As for the exactness of where things go, you'll just have to play with things until you get it close enough to what you want.