Secants and Tangents

A secent is a line that intersects a circle at exatly two points. Every secant contains a chord of the circle.

A tangent is a line that intersects a circle at exactly one point. This point is called the point of tangency or point of conduct.

1. A tangent like is perpendicular to the radius drawn to the point of conduct.

2. If a line is perpendicular to a radius at its outer endpoint, then it is tangent to the circle.

A tangent segment is the part of a tangent line between the point of contact and a point outside the circle.

Line AB is the tangent segment.

A secant segment is the part of a secant line that joins a point outside the circle to the farther intersection point of the secant and the circle. The external part of a secant segment is the part of the secant

Two-Tangent Therom: If two tangent segments are drawn to a circle from an external point, then those segments are congruent.

Tangent Circles:  Circles that intersect each o ther at one point.

Circles can either be internally tangent or externally tangent.

Internally tangent: one of the tangent circles liew within the other.

Externally tangent: each of the tangent circles lie outside each other.

Commmon tangent: A line tangent to two circles( not always the same point)

Common Internal tangent: A tangent like that lies between the two circles(intersects the segment joining the centers)

Common External tangent: A tangent that is not between the two circles (does not intersect the segment joining the centers)

Enjoy your day off:)

-Quigley