In Section 2.1 the "tangent line" was introduced as the line touching the graph of a function at a single point. The slope of this line is the value of the derivative of the function at the point of contact.
The "normal line" is a line that is perpendicular to the tangent line at the point of contact. Hence, its slope is the negative reciprocal of the derivative of the function at the point of contact.
Table 3.1.1 lists the equations of tangent and normal lines drawn at on the graph of .
Tangent
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Normal
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Table 3.1.1 Equations for tangent and normal lines
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