Segments Formed by a Tangent and a Secant
How to find the segments formed by a tangent and a secant of a circle: formula, 1 example, and its solution.
Formula
Formula
Ray PA and PC
are the tangent and the secant
that start from the same point P.
Then three segments are formed:
PA, PB, and BC.
Then PA2 = PB⋅PC.
Example
Example
Solution
x, 4, and 5
are the segments
formed by a tangent an a secant.
Then x2 = 4(4 + 5).
4 + 5 = 9
4⋅9 = 36
x2 = 36
Square root both sides.
Then x = √36.
x is a line segment.
So x is plus.
So you don't have to write ± sign.
Quadratic Equation: Square Root
36 = 62
√62 = 6
So x = 6.