Wolfram Language

Symbolic & Numeric Calculus

Visualize Secants and Tangents

Use DifferenceQuotient to define the function , the secant line between and .

In[1]:=
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f[x_] := 10 Exp[-((x^2 - x)/4)] Sin[2 x];
In[2]:=
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g[h_, b_][x_] = f[b] + (DifferenceQuotient[f[x], {x, h}] /. (x -> b)) (x - b);

Visualize how the secant line changes as the base point is moved, but at every base point it approaches the tangent as .

In[3]:=
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Manipulate[ Plot[{f[x], g[h, b][x]}, {x, -3, 3}, PlotRange -> 12, ImageSize -> Medium, Epilog -> {AbsolutePointSize[7], Point[{{b, f[b]}, {b + h, f[b + h]}}]}], {{b, 0}, -2, 2, Appearance -> "Labeled"}, {{h, 1}, -1, 1, Appearance -> "Labeled"}]
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