TANGENTS Meaning and
Definition
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Tangents, in mathematics and geometry, refer to lines or curves that intersect with a curve or surface at a single point and share the same slope or direction at that point. In simpler terms, a tangent is a line that touches a curve or surface but does not cross through it.
When considering a curve on a graph, the tangent is the line that touches the curve at a particular point and has the same slope as the curve at that point. It represents the instantaneous rate of change or the direction of the curve at that specific point. Tangents are commonly used in calculus to find the derivative of a function.
In geometry, tangents are also found in circles. A tangent to a circle is a line that touches the circle at exactly one point and is perpendicular to the radius that passes through that point.
Tangents have various applications in different fields. In physics, tangents are utilized to analyze the motion of an object along a curved path. In engineering, tangents are used to determine the behavior of surfaces and curves for designing structures. Additionally, tangents are employed in navigation for calculating the direction of travel.
Common Misspellings for TANGENTS
Etymology of TANGENTS
The word "tangents" originated from the Latin term "tangens" (genitive: tangentis), which is the present participle of the verb "tangere", meaning "to touch". In mathematics, a tangent is a straight line that touches a curve at a single point, and this term was first used in English around the 16th century to describe this geometric concept. Over time, "tangent" expanded to include the more general meaning of diverging from a main or original line of thought, leading to the plural form "tangents" to refer to multiple lines of thought or topics unrelated to the main subject.
Similar spelling words for TANGENTS
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