Definition:Tangent Line to Surface

Definition

Let $\SS$ be a surface in space.

Let $P$ be a point on $\SS$.

A straight line $\LL$ is:

tangent to $\SS$ at $P$

if and only if:

$\LL$ is tangent to a curve $\CC$ embedded in $\SS$ at $P$ where $P$ is also on $\CC$.

Also see

• Results about tangents can be found here.

Sources

• 1998: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): tangent: 1.
• 2008: David Nelson: The Penguin Dictionary of Mathematics (4th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): tangent: 1.