tangent line — noun Etymology: translation of New Latin linea tangens : a line at a fixed point P of a curve that is the limit approached by the secant PQ as Q approaches P along the curve … Useful english dictionary
Tangent — Tan gent, n. [L. tangens, entis, p. pr. of tangere to touch; akin to Gr. ? having seized: cf. F. tangente. Cf. {Attain}, {Contaminate}, {Contingent}, {Entire}, {Tact}, {Taste}, {Tax}, v. t.] (Geom.) A tangent line curve, or surface; specifically … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Tangent galvanometer — Tangent Tan gent, n. [L. tangens, entis, p. pr. of tangere to touch; akin to Gr. ? having seized: cf. F. tangente. Cf. {Attain}, {Contaminate}, {Contingent}, {Entire}, {Tact}, {Taste}, {Tax}, v. t.] (Geom.) A tangent line curve, or surface;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Tangent of an angle — Tangent Tan gent, n. [L. tangens, entis, p. pr. of tangere to touch; akin to Gr. ? having seized: cf. F. tangente. Cf. {Attain}, {Contaminate}, {Contingent}, {Entire}, {Tact}, {Taste}, {Tax}, v. t.] (Geom.) A tangent line curve, or surface;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Tangent of an arc — Tangent Tan gent, n. [L. tangens, entis, p. pr. of tangere to touch; akin to Gr. ? having seized: cf. F. tangente. Cf. {Attain}, {Contaminate}, {Contingent}, {Entire}, {Tact}, {Taste}, {Tax}, v. t.] (Geom.) A tangent line curve, or surface;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
tangent — [tan′jənt] adj. [L tangens, prp. of tangere, to touch: see TACT] 1. that touches; touching 2. Geom. touching and not intersecting a curve or curved surface at one and only one point: said of a line or plane n. [< ModL ( linea) tangens, tangent … English World dictionary
Tangent lines to circles — In Euclidean plane geometry, tangent lines to circles form the subject of several theorems, and play an important role in many geometrical constructions and proofs. Since the tangent line to a circle at a point P is perpendicular to the radius to … Wikipedia
Tangent — For the tangent function see trigonometric functions. For other uses, see tangent (disambiguation). In geometry, the tangent line (or simply the tangent) to a curve at a given point is the straight line that just touches the curve at that point… … Wikipedia
tangent — /tan jeuhnt/, adj. 1. in immediate physical contact; touching. 2. Geom. a. touching at a single point, as a tangent in relation to a curve or surface. b. in contact along a single line or element, as a plane with a cylinder. 3. tangential (def.… … Universalium
tangent — I. adjective Etymology: Latin tangent , tangens, present participle of tangere to touch; perhaps akin to Old English thaccian to touch gently, stroke Date: 1594 1. a. meeting a curve or surface in a single point if a sufficiently small interval… … New Collegiate Dictionary
