Definition:Tangent Line/Circle

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Definition

In the words of Euclid:

A straight line is said to touch a circle which, meeting the circle and being produced, does not cut the circle.

(The Elements: Book $\text{III}$: Definition $2$)


TangentCircle.png

In the above diagram, the line is tangent to the circle at the point $C$.


Tangent Circles

In the words of Euclid:

Circles are said to touch one another which, meeting one another, do not cut one another.

(The Elements: Book $\text{III}$: Definition $3$)


TangentCircles.png

In the above diagram, the two circles are tangent to each other at the point $C$.


Also see

  • Results about tangents to circles can be found here.