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JEE Main 2026 Preparation: Question Papers, Solutions, Mock Tests & Strategy Unacademy » JEE Study Material » Mathematics » Equation Of Tangent Of Circle 

Equation Of Tangent Of Circle 

The equation of the tangent of a circle is simply a line that touches the circle once. The equation of the tangent of circle notes will be shown next, followed by the equations of the tangent of circle questions at the end of the article.

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The tangent runs perpendicular to the radius that connects the circle’s center to point P. The equation of the tangent of the circle will be of the form because it is a straight line y = m x + c.

The equation of the tangent of the circle will be of the form because it is a straight line. We can obtain the value y = mx + c using perpendicular gradients, then use the values of m to find the value of x and y to find the value of c in the equation.

Equation of a circle

We understand that a circle’s general equation is ( x – h )2 + ( y – k )2 = r2, where ( h, k ) is the radius, and r is the center.

Tangency Condition

When a tangent contacts a curve at a single point, it is termed a tangent; otherwise, it is merely a line. We can define the requirements for tangent as follows, based on the point of tangency and its location in the circle:

  • When a point is located within the circle, it is said to be inside the circle.

  • When a point is at the center of a circle

  • When a point is outside the circle, it is said to be outside the circle.

When a point is located within the circle, it is said to be inside the circle.

Consider the point P within the circle; all of the lines that pass through P intersect the circle at two locations. 

It follows that no tangent to a circle can be formed that passes through a point inside the circle.

When a point is at the center of a circle

There is only one tangent to a circle that passes through a point on the circle.

When a point is outside the circle, it is said to be outside the circle.

From a point outside the circle, there are exactly two tangents to the circle.

Tangent Properties

  • Always keep in mind the following points about tangent characteristics.

  • A tangent line never crosses or enters the circle; it simply touches it.

  • The intersection of the lien and the circle is perpendicular to the radius.

  • From the same exterior point, the tangent segment of a circle is equal.

  • A tangent and a chord produce an angle, which is identical to the tangent inscribed on the chord’s opposite side.

Circles

The set of all points at a given distance from a point is known as a circle. This suggests that a circle is not the entire space within it; rather, it is the curved line that closes in on a point. A circle has a center, which is the point in the center that gives the circle its name. A circle can have one or more of the following:

  • the circumference (the distance from the center to the circle)

  • harmonies (a line segment from the circle to another point on the circle without going through the center)

  • a secret (a line passing through two points of the circle)

  • the circumference (a chord passing through the center)

  • circumference (the circumference of a circle).

The formula for a Tangent to a Circle

A circle with P as its outside point is shown here. The circle has a tangent at points Q and S from the exterior point P. A secant is a straight line that divides a curve into two or more sections. As illustrated in the image above, the secant is PR, and R intersects the circle at point Q. So now we have the tangent-secant formula.

PR/PS = PS/ PQ

PS² = PQ.PR

Circle of Tangent Lines

Tangents can be formed by geometric forms other than lines and line segments. Simply by sharing a single point, one circle might be tangent to another. The two circles could be contiguous or nested.

You can also use six circles of the same diameter to encircle your first crop circle. Each outside circle touches exactly three other circles, and the original center circle touches exactly six circles, forming a crop circle nest of seven circles.

The theorem of the Tangent of a Circle

Tangents are linked to three theorems. Like so many crop circle creators skulking along a tangent path (a tangent is tangential to a radius), we’ve already sneaked one past you.

The two tangent theorem is the name of the second theorem. It states that two tangents of the same circle drawn from the same point outside the circle are congruent.

The tangent secant theorem describes how a tangent and a secant of the same circle are related.

We can get the following equation from Point I, which is shared by both tangent LI and secant EN:

LI2 = IE * IN

The Square of the length of the tangent segment is equivalent to the result of the secant length beyond the circle times the length of the full secant, even though it may sound like alien wizardry.

Conclusion

Though we may not have answered the enigma of crop circles, you can now distinguish the elements of a circle, identify and recognize an equation of tangent of a circle that shows how a circle can be a tangent to another circle. Hope the above-mentioned explanations will help understand the equation of the tangent of a circle in a better manner.

faq

Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the IIT JEE Examination Preparation.

What exactly is a tangent of a circle?

Ans : A tangent line to a circle in Euclidean plane geometry is a line that touches the circle only...Read full

What does the term "tangent equation" mean?

Ans : A tangent of a curvy = f(x) at a point x = c is defined as a straight line that passes throug...Read full

What is tangent and what is an example of it?

Ans : Something or an idea that touches but does not intersect, or is inconsequential, is referred ...Read full

Who was the first to find the circle's equation?

Ans : The Egyptians were considered the creators of geometry by the Greeks. The author of the Rhind...Read full

What is the total number of tangents in a circle?

Ans : Tangents to a circle can be endless. Tangent lin...Read full

Ans : A tangent line to a circle in Euclidean plane geometry is a line that touches the circle only at one point while never entering the circle’s interior.

 

 

Ans : A tangent of a curvy = f(x) at a point x = c is defined as a straight line that passes through the point (c, f(c)) on the curve and has slope f'(c), where f’ is the derivative of f. Tangent is derived from the Latin word tangere, which means “to touch.”

 

 

Ans : Something or an idea that touches but does not intersect, or is inconsequential, is referred to as a tangent. A tangent is when someone is discussing an issue at work and then abruptly changes the subject to something that happened in elementary school.

Ans : The Egyptians were considered the creators of geometry by the Greeks. The author of the Rhind papyrus, Ahmes, presents a formula for calculating the area of a circle that equals = 256 /81 or approximately 3. 16. Thales is credited with developing the first circle theorems around 650 BC.

Ans : Tangents to a circle can be endless.

Tangent lines, or simply tangents to the circle from a given point, are such lines. It’s worth noting that only two tangents can be drawn from a given point outside a circle.

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