What is the Difference Between Chord Secant and Tangent?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The difference between a chord, a secant, and a tangent lies in how they intersect a circle:
- Chord: A chord is a line segment that joins two points on the circumference of the circle. When a chord passes through the circle's center, it is called a diameter.
- Secant: A secant is a line that intersects the circle at exactly two points. It can be thought of as an extension of a chord that does not pass through the circle's center.
- Tangent: A tangent is a line that touches the circle's circumference only once. It intersects the circle at a single point and does not pass through the circle's interior.
In summary, a chord connects two points on the circle, a secant intersects the circle at two points, and a tangent touches the circle at only one point.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Chord Secant and Tangent? Comparative Table: Chord Secant vs Tangent
Comparative Table: Chord Secant vs Tangent
Here is a table comparing the differences between chord, secant, and tangent:
Feature | Chord | Secant | Tangent |
---|---|---|---|
Definition | A line segment with endpoints lying on a curve. | A line passing through two points on a curve. | A line that just touches a plane curve and passes through a point on the curve. |
Properties | A chord can be considered as an interval on a secant line. | A tangent can be considered as a special case of a secant line, where the two points on the curve are infinitely close (or overlap). | A tangent line has interesting properties and uses in mathematics. |
Angles | The measure of an angle formed by a chord and a tangent that intersect on the circle is half the measure of the intercepted arc. | - | - |
In summary, a chord is a line segment with endpoints on a curve, a secant is a line passing through two points on a curve, and a tangent is a line that just touches a plane curve and passes through a point on the curve. A tangent can be considered as a special case of a secant, and the measure of an angle formed by a chord and a tangent that intersect on the circle is half the measure of the intercepted arc.
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