Tangents and Secants

Understand tangents and secants.

Lesson 4 of 53 parts Practice Flashcards

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Tangent Radius

Objective: Apply tangent radius.

A radius to a point of tangency is perpendicular to the tangent line.

Worked examples

Try itA tangent meets a circle at P1. What is the angle between the tangent and radius to P1?Show answer

90°. A tangent is perpendicular to the radius at the contact point.

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Objective: Apply tangent radius.

A radius to a point of tangency is perpendicular to the tangent line.

Worked examples

Try itA tangent meets a circle at P1. What is the angle between the tangent and radius to P1?Show answer

90°. A tangent is perpendicular to the radius at the contact point.

Objective: Apply tangent segments.

Tangent segments from one external point to the same circle are equal.

Worked examples

Try itFrom external point E1, tangent EA has length 6. Find tangent EB to the same circle.Show answer

6. Tangent segments from the same external point are congruent.

Objective: Apply secant and tangent angles.

An angle formed by two secants outside a circle equals half the difference of its intercepted arcs.

Worked examples

Try itTwo secants meet outside a circle and intercept arcs of 124° and 42°. Find the angle.Show answer

41°. External secant angle = half the difference of the intercepted arcs.

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