[thechat] Tangent with a Curve

[Syed Zeeshan Haider]

Hi Lachlan,
In fact, I am a student of physics. I was looking at a solved problem of
physics in which the author had drawn a tangent on a point on a curve
graph without any clear description. I could not realize or sort out the
way author used to draw the tangent. It means my question was not for
fun but it was for education.
Thank you for replying my question. I'll annoy TheChat members with the
questions about physics and mathematics in future as well because they
are related to my education activities.
Thank you for tolerating me!
Syed Zeeshan Haider.
http://syedzeeshanhaider.faithweb.com/

----- Original Message -----
Date: Sat, 4 May 2002 18:58:20 +1000 (EST)
Subject: Re: [thechat] Tangent with a Curve
From: "Lachlan Cannon" <luminosity at members.evolt.org>
To: <thechat at lists.evolt.org>
Reply-To: thechat at lists.evolt.org

\aardvark\ said:
> just what are you building?
>
> anyway, you don\'t do it by hand... if you\'re a drafting monkey (and
i
> used to be a damn fine one), you get yourself a french curve and a
> triangle -- at the very least... t-square should be a requirement, but
> if you\'re just playing...
>
> anyway, get some drafting gear, then you\'ll be able to do whatever
you
> want (asymptotic curves, realistic perspective, whatever)...
>

Or work out the derivative of the point you want a tangent for, sub the
derivative of the point and the x and y co ords into y=mx + c, and draw
your
line from that. Though since you can work out the derivative straight
off,
one wonders why you'd need to draw the tangent line?

Lach