EngageNY
The Inscribed Angle Alternate – A Tangent Angle
You know the Inscribed Angle Theorem and you know about tangent lines; now let's consider them together! Learners first explore angle measures when one of the rays of the angle is a tangent to a circle. They then apply their...
Texas Instruments
Drawing a Line Tangent to a Circle
Explore lines tangent to a circle. In this math lesson plan, students manipulate circles and lines on a TI calculator. They draw a circle and analyze perpendicular lines intersecting the circle in only one place. This activity...
EngageNY
Tangent Lines and the Tangent Function
Construct tangent lines and make the connection to tangent functions. An informative lesson reviews the geometry origins of the tangent function. Pupils use that information to determine how to construct a tangent to a circle from a...
EngageNY
Why Call It Tangent?
Discover the relationship between tangent lines and the tangent function. Class members develop the idea of the tangent function using the unit circle. They create tables of values and explore the domain, range, and end behavior of...
EngageNY
Tangent Segments
What's so special about tangents? Learners first explore how if a circle is tangent to both rays of an angle, then its center is on the angle bisector. They then complete a set of exercises designed to explore further properties and...
Curated OER
Tangent Lines and the Radius of a Circle
Your Geometry learners will collaboratively prove that the tangent line of a circle is perpendicular to the radius of the circle. A deliberately sparse introduction allows for a variety of approaches to find a solution.
EngageNY
Properties of Tangents
You know about the tangent function, but what are tangent lines to a circle? Learners investigate properties of tangents through constructions. They determine that tangents are perpendicular to the radius at the point of tangency,...
EngageNY
Equations for Tangent Lines to Circles
Don't go off on a tangent while writing equations of tangent lines! Scholars determine the equations for tangent lines to circles. They attempt both concrete and abstract examples, such as a tangent line to the unit circle through...
EngageNY
Similar Triangles in Circle-Secant (or Circle-Secant-Tangent) Diagrams
First angle measures, now segment lengths. High schoolers first measure segments formed by secants that intersect interior to a circle, secants that intersect exterior to a circle, and a secant and a tangent that intersect exterior to a...
EngageNY
Secant Lines; Secant Lines That Meet Inside a Circle
Young mathematicians identify different cases of intersecting secant lines. They then investigate the case where secant lines meet inside a circle.
EngageNY
Recognizing Equations of Circles
What does completing the square have to do with circles? Math pupils use completing the square and other algebraic techniques to rewrite equations of circles in center-radius form. They then analyze equations of the form x^2 + y^2 + Ax +...
Virginia Department of Education
Circles in the Coordinate Plane
Make the connection between the distance formula and the equation of a circle. The teacher presents a lesson on how to use the distance formula to derive the equation of the circle. Pupils transform circles on the coordinate plane and...
Curated OER
Secants, Tangents and Arcs
Learners identify chords and angles. In this geometry lesson, students calculate the length of the chords inside and outside of-the circle. They differentiate between tangent and secant lines.
Virginia Department of Education
Angles, Arcs, and Segments in Circles
Investigate relationships between angles, arcs, and segments in circles. Pupils use geometry software to discover the relationships between angles, arcs, and segments associated with circles. Class members use similar triangles to...
Curated OER
Segments Formed by Intersectiong Chords, Secants, and Tangents
Learners investigate the properties of segments formed which chords, secants, and tangents, intersect. The dynamic nature of Cabri Jr. allows high schoolers to form and verify conjectures regarding segment relationships.
Illustrative Mathematics
Two Wheels and a Belt
Geometry gets an engineering treatment in an exercise involving a belt wrapped around two wheels of different dimensions. Along with the wheels, this belt problem connects concepts of right triangles, tangent lines, arc length, and...
EngageNY
Secant Angle Theorem, Exterior Case
It doesn't matter whether secant lines intersect inside or outside the circle, right? Scholars extend concepts from the previous activity to investigate angles created by secant lines that intersect at a point exterior to the...
Curated OER
Circles and Angles
Young scholars identify tangents, chords and secants. In this geometry lesson, students graph circles and identify angles created by secant lines, tangent lines and chords.
Curated OER
Secant Line Approximation of the Tangent Line
Learners perform operation with secant and tangent lines. In this calculus lesson, students find the derivative and relate it to the slope of a line. They differentiate between secant and tangent as they intersect a circle, using Cabri.
Curated OER
Circle Conjectures
Students are given diagrams and are asked to make a conjecture. In this geometry lesson, students make conjectures of circles. They complete a lab activity to reinforce making conjectures. The first activity addresses a common core...
Curated OER
Arc Length Lesson
Students find the length of the arc of a circle. In this geometry lesson, students calculate the length of an arc and find the measure of the central angle given the length of the arc. They convert between linear and angular speed. They...
Curated OER
Tangents to a Circle
Students construct tangent lines. In this geometry lesson, students identify the point of tangency, secant and tangent lines. They graph the lines on the Ti and make observations.
Curated OER
Chors, Secants, Tangents
Learners identify the relationship between chords, secants and circles. In this geometry lesson, students calculate the length of the chords. They sketch the secant lines on a circle.
Curated OER
Measuring the Earth
Students identify types of arcs and angles in a circle, find the measure of arcs and angles, and solve real world problems involving lengths of segments in circles, lengths, and areas.