Which of the following statements correctly distinguishes between a secant line and a…
MATHEMATICS · Single correct · A Level · Mathematics · Differentiation · Differentiation
Problem
Which of the following statements correctly distinguishes between a secant line and a tangent line to the curve y=f(x) at x=a?
(a) A tangent line intersects the curve at two distinct points that approach one another, while a secant line touches the curve at a single point.
(b) A tangent line gives the average rate of change of f over an interval containing x=a.
(c) A secant line intersects the curve at two distinct points, whereas a tangent line touches the curve at exactly one point.
(d) A secant line represents the instantaneous rate of change of f at the point x=a."