Visualizing Tangent
- Author:
- Melanie Palma
Geometrically visualize the tangent ratio as a function of the angle in standard position.
1. Which line is TANGENT to the circle at x=1?
2. Drag "angle" slowly along the x-axis. Describe (very precisely and with pictures) what happens to the purple segment QA as the angle increases.
3. QA = sin(angle)/cos(angle).
WHY is this true? Explain your thinking with detail and pictures.
4. Turn on point T.
Drag the angle and observe the purple segment QA and the graph of y= tan x.
Explain with detail and pictures the ways in which QA and the graph are related to each other.