Let the point where the top of the circle meets the base of the cone = A
Let the radius of the cone = AB = 12
Let the center of the sphere = C
Let the radius of the sphere meet the side of the cone at D
Let the bottom "tip" of the cone = E
So......CD meets the side of the cone at a right angle
And BA = BD = 12 [ tangents drawn from the same point ]
So....Triangle CDE is a right triangle
The slant height of the cone, BE = √ [ 24^2 + 12^2] = √720 = √ [ 144 * 5] = 12√5
So DE = BE - BD = 12√5 - 12
And CE = 24 - r
And CD = r
So.....by the Pythagorean Theorem, we have that
CE^2 = CD^2 + DE^2
(24 - r)^2 = r^2 + (12√5 - 12)^2 simplify
r^2 - 48r + 576 = r^2 + 144(√5 - 1)^2
-48r + 576 = 144 (5 - 2√5 + 1)
-48r + 576 = 144(6 - 2√5)
-48r + 576 = 864 - 288√5
48r = 288√5 - 288
48r = 288 (√5 - 1)
r = 6 (√5 - 1) = 6√5 - 6
So a + c = 6 + 5 = 11