10/7/2020 Tangent and Secant Lines

Tangent Lines and Secant Lines

(This is about lines, you might want the tangent and secant functions )

A tangent line just touches a curve at a point, matching the

curve's slope there. (From the Latin tangens "touching", like

ve
t

cur
in the word "tangible".) an t
se
c
gen
tan
A secant line intersects two or more points on a curve.
(From the Latin secare "cut or sever")

They are lines , so extend in both directions infinitely.

Circle
On a circle they look like this:

t
gen
Ta
n nt
eca rd
S
Cho
ter
Diame
Ra
diu
s
Ar
c

Theorems
There are three theorems of interest here:

Intersecting Secants Theorem

Intersecting Chords Theorem
Angle of Intersecting Secants Theorem

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10/7/2020 Tangent and Secant Lines

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