Definition:Tangent Function/Definition from Circle/Second Quadrant

Definition
Consider a unit circle $C$ whose center is at the origin of a cartesian plane.


 * TangentSecondQuadrant.png

Let $P$ be the point on $C$ in the second quadrant such that $\theta$ is the angle made by $OP$ with the $x$-axis.

Let a tangent line be drawn to touch $C$ at $A = \tuple {1, 0}$.

Let $OP$ be produced to meet this tangent line at $B$.

Then the tangent of $\theta$ is defined as the length of $AB$.

Hence in the second quadrant, the tangent is negative.