Solution

First, let's define our curve:

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_2.gif]

Our point of tangency:

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_3.gif]
[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_4.gif]

So, for a given Δx, the slope of the secant line is:

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_5.gif]

This works great until [Graphics:../Images/index_gr_6.gif], at which time bad things happen...  So, a way to avoid this is to use the following trick:

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_7.gif]
[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_8.gif]

Thus, the equation of the secant line is:

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_9.gif]
[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_10.gif]

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_22.gif]

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_23.gif]

This gets the basic idea across, but it jumps around a lot.  The way to fix this is to use the PlotRange option:

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_24.gif]

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_36.gif]

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_37.gif]

Let's spice it up a little more with different colors:

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_38.gif]
[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_39.gif]

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_51.gif]

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_52.gif]

Another cool trick is to plot all of these together on the same axes:

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_53.gif]

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_54.gif]

[Graphics:../Images/index_gr_55.gif]


Converted by Mathematica      April 26, 2002