Secant and Tangent Lines

Lecture Notes

Abdul Rauf Nizami

April 2019
2

Secant Line. The line that passes through two points on the graph of a func-
tion is called a secant line. The equation of the secant line passing through
the points P (x0 , f (x0 )) and Q(x1 , f (x1 )) on graph of y = f (x) is

y − f (x0 ) = msec (x − x0 ),
where
f (x1 ) − f (x0 )
msec =
x1 − x0
is the slope of the line.
y

Q(x1,y1)
Secant Line

P(x0,y0)

Example 1. Find the equation of the secant line passing through the points
P (1, 1) and P (3, 9) on the parabola f (x) = x2 , and show this line on the
graph.

Solution.
Step 1. (Slope) Here x0 = 1, x1 = 3, f (x0 ) = 1, and f (x1 ) = 9.
f (x1 ) − f (x0 )
msec =
x1 − x0
9−1 8
= = =4
3−1 2

Step 2. (Equation of Secant Line)

The equation of the secant line is

y − f (x0 ) = msec (x − x0 )
y−1 = 4(x − 1)
y−1 = 4x − 4
y = 4x − 3

Step 3. (Graph of Secant Line)

 Secant and Tangent Lines 3

————————-Solution Ends——————————–

Example 2. Find the equation of the secant line on the curve f (x) = x3 in
the interval [1, 2], and show this line on the graph.

Solution.
Step 1. (Slope) Here x0 = 1 and x1 = 2.

f (x1 ) − f (x0 )
msec =
x1 − x0
f (2) − f (1)
=
2−1
(2)3 − (1)3
=
2−1
8−1 7
= = =7
2−1 1

Step 2. (Equation of Secant Line)

The equation of the secant line is

y − f (x0 ) = msec (x − x0 )
y−1 = 7(x − 1)
y−1 = 7x − 7
y = 7x − 6

Step 3. (Graph of Secant Line)

4 Secant and Tangent Lines

————————-Solution Ends——————————–

Tangent Line. The line that touches the graph at one point is called a tan-
gent line. The equation of the tangent line to the curve y = f (x) at the point
P (x0 , f (x0 )) is

y − f (x0 ) = mtan (x − x0 )

with slope

f (x0 + h) − f (x0 )
mtan = lim .
h→0 h

y tangent line

P(x0,f(x0)) y=f(x)

0 x0
x

Example 1. Find the equation of the tangent line to the parabola f (x) = x2
at the point x0 = 2, and show this line on the graph.
 Secant and Tangent Lines 5

Solution.
Step 1. (Slope) Given point is x0 = 2.
f (x0 + h) − f (x0 )
mtan = lim
h→0 h
f (2 + h) − f (2)
= lim
h→0 h
(2 + h) − (2)2
2
= lim
h→0 h
4 + 4h + h2 − 4
= lim
h→0 h
4h + h2
= lim
h→0 h
h(4 + h)
= lim
h→0 h
= lim 4 + h
h→0
= 4+0
= 4

Step 2. (Equation of Tangent Line)

The equation of the tangent line is
y − f (x0 ) = mtan (x − x0 )
y−4 = 4(x − 2)
y−4 = 4x − 8
y = 4x − 4

Step 3. (Graph of Tangent Line)

————————-Solution Ends——————————–
6 Secant and Tangent Lines

1
Example 2. Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve f (x) = x at
x0 = 2, and show this line on the graph.

Solution.
Step 1. (Slope) Here x0 = 2.

f (x0 + h) − f (x0 )
mtan = lim
h→0 h
1h i
= lim f (x0 + h) − f (x0 )
h→0 h
1h i
= lim f (2 + h) − f (2)
h→0 h
1h 1 1i
= lim −
h→0 h 2 + h 2
1h 1 1i
= lim −
h→0 h 2 + h 2
1 h 2 − (2 + h) i
= lim
h→0 h 2(2 + h)
1 2 − 2 − h) i
h
= lim
h→0 h 2(2 + h)
1 h −h) i
= lim
h→0 h 2(2 + h)
h −1) i
= lim
h→0 2(2 + h)

−1) −1
= =
2(2 + 0) 4

Step 2. (Equation of Tangent Line)

The equation of the tangent line is

y − f (x0 ) = mtan (x − x0 )
1 −1
y− = (x − 2)
2 4
1 −1 1
y− = x+
2 4 2
−1
y = x+1
4

Step 3. (Graph of Tangent Line)

 Secant and Tangent Lines 7

————————-Solution Ends——————————–

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Practice Problems
√
1. Find the equation of the secant line on the curve f (x) = x passing
through the points x0 = 1 and x1 = 4, and show this line on the graph
of f .

2. Find the equation of the secant line on the curve f (x) = −x2 +2 passing
through the points x0 = −1 and x1 = 2, and show this line on the graph
of f .

3. Find the equation of the secant line on the curve f (x) = |x| passing
through the points x0 = −2 and x1 = 1, and show this line on the
graph of f .
√
4. Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve f (x) = x at x0 = 1,
and show this line on the graph of f .

5. Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve f (x) = ex at x0 = 2,

and show this line on the graph of f .

1
6. Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve f (x) = x2 at x0 = −1,
and show this line on the graph of f .

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(I shall welcome your suggestions to improve these notes.)