What term describes a straight line that intersects a circle at two points?

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Multiple Choice

What term describes a straight line that intersects a circle at two points?

A line that cuts through a circle at two points is called a secant. By definition, a secant is a straight line that intersects the circle in two distinct points, so it passes through the circle rather than just touching it or lying entirely inside. This distinguishes it from a tangent, which only touches the circle at a single point, and from a chord, which is the segment of that line between the two intersection points (the line itself extends beyond the circle). The radius is unrelated here, as it’s simply the distance from the circle’s center to a point on its circumference.

A line that cuts through a circle at two points is called a secant. By definition, a secant is a straight line that intersects the circle in two distinct points, so it passes through the circle rather than just touching it or lying entirely inside. This distinguishes it from a tangent, which only touches the circle at a single point, and from a chord, which is the segment of that line between the two intersection points (the line itself extends beyond the circle). The radius is unrelated here, as it’s simply the distance from the circle’s center to a point on its circumference.

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