Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) Mathematics Practice Exam

A secant is defined as a line that intersects a circle at two points. This means that it passes through the interior of the circle, creating two distinct points of intersection. This characteristic distinguishes a secant from a tangent, which only touches the circle at one point, and from other types of lines related to circles, such as a chord, which is a line segment with both endpoints on the circle. Understanding this definition is key for solving various geometric problems involving circles, allowing for clear differentiation between secants, chords, and tangents.