Search Results for “Tangent”
Basic Derivatives
Drag the point to see how the slope of the line relates to the x value of the point at which it’s tangent to the function. Can you figure out what the function is, based on the values of the x and y coordinates? The slope of the line can also be represented in terms of x; can you figure out what this representation is? This representation is the derivative of the entire function, not just at a single point. This is called the derivative of the function, and can be notated by, for example, the derivative of F(x) = F’(x), although there are many other notations as well.
Hendecagon Diagonals, Circles and Tangents
Before even attempting to understand this app, take a look at the heptagon and nonagon versions. It’s the same situation here, circles centered at intersection points of diagonals within the hendecagon. Drag the green points to resize the circles. Resize the circles so that they are tangent to at least 4 diagonals at the same time (this case is possible in at least two positions for each circle). How many instances can you find on this one? Notice a trend with this and the other versions? Now that you've got this one, check out the final installment, the tridecagon version.
Parabola Property
The triangle containing the normal and tangent at a point on a parabola sits inside a semicircle centered at the parabola's focus.
parabola envelope
We use a trick to let the trace "open up" as you drag a point. The trick is this: an initial point is given parametric location s*t, create a tangent at this point and its envelope as s varies. Now hide the original point and create another point with parameter t, and make it draggable. Dragging the new point changes the value of t and we see a trace from 0 to t.
Hyperbola Polar Line
The polar line is the locus of the intersections of tangent lines at the ends of chords of teh parabola through a fixed point. Turns out to be conceptually important - not just a curiosity.
