Tangent, Secant & Normal Lines

Discussion in 'Calculus' started by nycmathguy, Mar 21, 2022.

  1. nycmathguy

    nycmathguy

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    Can you please provide a geometric interpretation of the tangent, secant, and normal line on the xy-plane? Please, use a different color for each line.

    Thank you.
     
    nycmathguy, Mar 21, 2022
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  2. nycmathguy

    MathLover1

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    The normal line to a curve at a particular point is the line through that point and perpendicular to the tangent.

    [​IMG]


    two special lines are the tangent line and the secant line

    Tangent is a Latin word meaning to touch, and in mathematics a tangent line touches an arbitrary curve described by y=f(x) at a point P but not any other points nearby as shown.

    upload_2022-3-21_13-23-39.jpeg

    Secant is a Latin word meaning to cut, and in mathematics a secant line cuts an arbitrary curve described by y=f(x) through two points P and Q.
    The figure shows two such secant lines of the curve f to the right and to the left of the point P, respectively.
    upload_2022-3-21_13-23-11.jpeg
     
    MathLover1, Mar 21, 2022
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    nycmathguy likes this.
  3. nycmathguy

    nycmathguy

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    So, Q_1 through Q_4 are secant lines. All four lines cut through point P.
     
    nycmathguy, Mar 21, 2022
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