Question

If a line intersects a circle in two distinct points then it is known as:
A. Chord
B. Secant
C. Tangent
D. Segment

Answer 1

Hint: Draw a circle and mark chord, secant, segment etc. Thus from the figure, determine the line that intersects a circle at 2 distinct points.

Complete step by step solution:
Consider the figure that has been drawn. It is a circle, we have marked chord, secant, tangent, segment, diameter and radius.

A chord of a circle is the line segment that joins 2 distinct points of the circle. A chord contains a unique secant line and each secant line determines the chord.
A straight line which intersects at two points is called a secant, from the figure you can find the secant line. If a straight line intersects at one point is a tangent line and no points are called exterior lines.
Thus secant is the line that intersects at two points is called a secant, from the figure you can find the secant line. If a straight line intersects at one point is a tangent line and no points are called exterior lines.
Thus secant is the line that intersects the curve at two distinct points. In case of a circle, a secant will intersect the circle at exactly 2 points, whereas chord is a line segment determined by two points.
Thus a line intersects a circle in two points is known as secant.
Option B is the correct answer.

Note:
You might be confused between a secant and chord of the circle. By looking in the figure both secant and chord touch 2 distinct points of the circle. But secant is a straight line cutting 2 distinct points of the circle, whereas a chord is a line segment formed by 2 points. If we were asked to find a line segment which intersects a circle in 2 distinct points then the answer would be secant.