Secant
A line that intersects a circle in two points
In mathematics, a secant is a line that intersects a curve at two distinct points. Specifically, a secant is a line that passes through two points on the curve, but it does not necessarily touch the curve at any other point between those two points.
The term secant is used in a number of different mathematical contexts, but it is most commonly used in trigonometry, geometry, and calculus. In trigonometry, the secant is the reciprocal of the cosine function, i.e., sec(x) = 1/cos(x). In geometry, secants are often used to determine angles and distances in circles, particularly in the context of chords and tangents. In calculus, secants are used to approximate the slope of a curve at a particular point, which is the basis for the concept of the derivative.
Overall, the concept of the secant is an important one in mathematics, as it provides a way of connecting two points on a curve and enabling us to study the properties and behavior of that curve between those two points.
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