what is the difference between a tangent and a chord in geometry?

Question

i always found this concept difficult to understand

Answer 1

The straight line joining the shortst distance between two points on the curve is called chord. while tangent is nothing but special case of chord at which two points of chord are coincides.

that is mathematically if a line inter sect a curve at two distinct points it is called chord while if these intersecting point lie on a single point then chord becomes a tangent.

Answer 2

Take a circle and cut it into two equal halves.

Naturally you will cut along a diameter.

The diameter is called a chord.

Now try to cut the circle into two, with one bigger than the other.

The line of cut is called chord.

The distance between the end points of the chord is chord length.

We can make the chord length as small as possible and cut the circle. We will have one small and other big segments of the circle.

Finally if the chord length is made to zero, the line will not cut the circle. We will have the full circle on one side of the knife and no portion of the circle on the other side of the knife, yet, the knife touches the circle.

The line of cut is now said to be tangential to the curve.

The line is called tangent.

Tanger means touch in Greek.

Answer 3

a tangent is a staight line just touching the side of a curve or circle but a chord is a a straight line within a cirle, it cuts the circle into two parts

Answer 4

tangent is that line that barely touch a circle i.e. just 1 point, and it is possible only from outside of the circle.

a chord is a segment of a line cutting the circle, inside of circle.