Table of Contents
Definition of Tangent
A tangent is a straight line that touches a curve at one point and goes off in a straight line. The point of contact is called the point of tangency.
Tangents Drawn to Circle from External Point (Length of Tangent Theorem):
A tangent is a line that touches a curve at a single point and is perpendicular to the curve at that point. The length of a tangent from an external point to a circle is the length of the hypotenuse of a right triangle whose other two sides are the radius of the circle and the point where the tangent intersects the circle.
Length of Tangent Theorem:
The length of the tangent at a point on a curve is the length of the segment from the point to the curve.
Length of Tangent Theorem Statement:
The length of a tangent to a circle is the length of the segment from the point of tangency to the center of the circle.
Length of Tangents Example Problems:
1. Find the length of the tangent to the circle at the point (2, 3).
The tangent has a length of 5.
2. Find the length of the tangent to the circle at the point (5, 6).
The tangent has a length of 8.
What is Length of Tangent on a Circle
A tangent is a straight line that intersects a circle at one point. The length of the tangent is the distance from the point of intersection to the circle.
