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Secant: meaning, definitions and examples

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secant

 

[ หˆsiหk(ษ™)nt ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

mathematics

In trigonometry, a secant is a line that intersects a curve at two or more points. It is the reciprocal of the cosine function.

Synonyms

curve intersection, line

Examples of usage

  • The secant of an angle in a right triangle is the ratio of the hypotenuse to the adjacent side.
  • The secant function is used to calculate the lengths of segments in a circle intersected by a line.
Context #2 | Noun

geometry

In geometry, a secant is a line that intersects a circle at two points.

Synonyms

chord, intersecting line

Examples of usage

  • The secant of a circle creates a chord connecting the two intersection points.
  • A secant line can be used to find the tangent of a circle at a specific point.
Context #3 | Noun

physics

In physics, a secant is a straight line that connects two points on a curve or a graph.

Synonyms

average line, connecting line

Examples of usage

  • The secant of a velocity-time graph represents the average velocity over a specified time interval.
  • The secant line on a displacement-time graph shows the average speed of an object.

Translations

Translations of the word "secant" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น secante

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคธเฅ‡เค•เฅ‡เค‚เคŸ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Sekante

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ secant

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ัะตะบะฐะฝั‚

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ sekant

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใ‚ปใ‚ซใƒณใƒˆ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท sรฉcante

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ secante

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท sekant

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์‹œ์ปจํŠธ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุงู„ู…ู…ุงุณ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ sekant

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ sekant

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅ‰ฒ็บฟ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ sekant

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ sekant

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ัะตะบะฐะฝั‚

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒกแƒ”แƒ™แƒแƒœแƒขแƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ sekant

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ secante

Etymology

The word 'secant' comes from the Latin word 'secare', meaning 'to cut'. The term was first used in mathematics to describe a line cutting a curve. It has since been widely used in trigonometry, geometry, and physics to represent intersecting lines or curves. The concept of secant has played a significant role in various fields of mathematics and science.

See also: dissect, dissection, intersect, sect, sectarian, section, sections, sector.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #28,871, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.