Secants and

Tangents
A
B

T
Objectives
 A secant is a line that intersects a
A
B circle at exactly two points. (Every
secant contains a chord of the
circle.)

A tangent is a line coplanar with the circle that

intersects a circle at exactly one point. This point is
called the point of tangency or point of contact.

T
 Secant and Tangent Segments
A tangent segment is a point of a tangent line between the
point of contact and a point outside the circle.

Tangent segment
T
A secant segment is the part of a secant line that joins a
point outside the circle to the farther intersection point of the
secant and the circle.
A
AR is the secant segment. B
R
The external part of a secant segment is the part
of a secant line that joins the outside point to the
nearer intersection point.

A
B
R

BR is the external part.

Postulate of Tangent Line
At a given point on a circle, one and only one line
can be drawn that is tangent to a circle.
To illustrate, consider P on the right.
if A is a point on the circle, then one
and only one line can be drawn
through A that is tangent to a
circle.
P

l A
THEOREMS OF
TANGENTS
THEOREM 1
If a line is tangent to a circle, then it is perpendicular to the
radius drawn to the point of tangency.

Symbol: If l is tangent to P at A, then l ꓕ PA.

Perpendicular

Radius P

l A

Point of tangency Line of tangency

THEOREM 2
If a line is perpendicular to a radius of a circle at its endpoint
that is on the circle, then the line is tangent to the circle.

Symbol: If l ꓕ PA, then is tangent to P at A, then l.

Perpendicular

Radius P

l A

Point of tangency Line of tangency

How many points of tangency
can you have from one point?
THEOREM 3
If the two segments from the same exterior point are
tangent to a circle, then the two segments are congruent.

/
B
A
/
D
EVALUATION
Answer the following questions:
1. This is the line that intersects a circle at
exactly one point.
a. Chord
b. Diameter
c. Secant line
d. Tangent line
2. This is a line that intersects a circle at
exactly two points.
a. Chord
b. Diameter
c. Secant line
d. Tangent line
3. This is the point of intersection of a
circle and the line tangent line.
a. Center of a circle
b. Point of tangency
c. Tangent circles
d. Common tangent
4. At a given point on a circle, one and only one
line can be drawn that is tangent to a circle.

a. True
b. False
5. If a line is tangent to a circle, then what can
you say about it as it is drawn through the point
of tangency?
a. It is parallel to the radius.
b. It intersects the circle at two points.
c. It is perpendicular to a radius.
d. It passes a point on a circle.
 Secant-Secant Angle
Find x

x°
120° 50°
 Secant-Tangent Angle
Find x
 Tangent-Tangent Angle
Find x
 Secant-Secant Angle
F
Find m3 if mFG = 88 88°
and mEH = 76
G
4
3
E
H
76°
 Secant-Tangent Angle
Find the mABC if mAB = 102°
D

102°
C
B
 Secant-Tangent Angle
Find the mRPS if mPT = 114°
and mTS = 136° R
P

Q
S
114° B

T
136°
 SUMMARY
INTERSECTIONS OUTSIDE A CIRCLE
Secants and tangents can intersect outside a circle. The
measure of the angle formed also involves half the measure
of the arcs they intercept.
Theorem
If two secants, a secant and a tangent, or two tangents intersect in the exterior
of a circle, then the measure of the angle formed is one-half the positive
difference of the measures of the intercepted arcs.

Two Secants Secant-Tangent Two Tangents

C D
E D
B
B C C
D B
A
A A
1
𝑚∠𝐴 = (𝐹𝑎𝑟𝑐 − 𝑁𝑎𝑟𝑐)
2
INTERSECTIONS ON OR INSIDE A CIRCLE
S B

F
E D

A line that intersects a circle in exactly two points is called

a secant. In the figure above, SF and EF are secants of
the circle.

When two secants intersect inside a circle, the angles

formed are related to the arcs they intercept.
Theorem
If two secants intersect in the interior of a circle, then the measure of the
angle formed is one half the sum of the measure of the arcs intercepted by
the angle and its vertical angle.

A
D
2
1
B
C

1
m1 = (mAC + mBD)
2
Examples: 1
m2 = (mAD + mBC)
2
Theorem
If a secant and a tangent intersect at the point of tangency,
then the measure of each angle formed is one half the
measure of the intercepted arc.

1 B
mABC = mBC A D
2
With Mam Jude
1
mDBC = mBEC
2 C
E
POWER
THEOREMS
TWO – CHORD POWER
THEOREM
If two chords intersect inside the circle, then the product of
the lengths of one chord is equal to the product of the
length of the segments of the other chord
A
C

AP • PB = CP • PD O
P

D
 Example:
Find the value of x.
Two-chord 1.
power A
C
theorem 12 4
P
If two chords O
x
intersect inside the 9 B
circle, then the
product of the D

lengths of one
chord is equal to
AP • PB = CP • PD
the product of the (12) (x) = (4) (9)
length of the
segments of the 12x = 36
other chord. x=3
TWO – SECANT POWER
THEOREM
If two secants intersect in the exterior of a circle, then the
product of the lengths of one secant segment and its
external segment is equal to the product of the lengths of
the other secant segment and its external segment.
P
B
A

D
AP • PB = CP • PD O

C
 Example:
TWO- Find the value of x.
SECANT 1.
POWER A
B P

THEOREM O
x 5
D
4

If two secants 6
intersect in the C
exterior of a circle,
then the product of
the lengths of one
AP • PB = CP • PD
secant segment and (x + 5) (5) = (6 + 4) (4)
its external segment
is equal to the 5x + 25 = 40
product of the 5x = 15
lengths of the other
secant segment and x=3
its external segment.
SECANT - TANGENT POWER
THEOREM
If a tangent segment and a secant segment are drawn to a
circle from an exterior point, then the square of the length
of the tangent segment is equal to the product of the
lengths of the secant segment and its external secant
segment.
B P
A

CP2 = AP • PB O

C
 SECANT-
Example:
TANGENT
Find the value of x.
POWER
1.
THEOREM
7 B x
A P

O
1
If a secant and a C
2

tangent intersect at
the exterior of a AP • PB = CP2
circle, then the
product of the (7 + x) (x) = 122
lengths of the 7x + x2 = 144
secant segment and
its external segment
x2 + 7x – 144 = 0
is equal to the (x – 9) (x + 16) = 0
square of the length x = 9; x = -16 (not a solution)
of the tangent
segment.