Which statement about a secant line is true?

A secant line is defined as a line that intersects a circle at two distinct points. This property is fundamental to the definition of a secant. When a secant line crosses a circle, it creates two points of intersection, which means that the line penetrates the circle’s boundary at two locations.

This characteristic distinguishes a secant line from other types of lines with respect to circles. For instance, a tangent line intersects the circle at exactly one point, while a line that is completely outside the circle does not intersect it at all.

Secant lines are particularly important in various geometric theorems and constructions, as they help to understand and analyze the relationships between different points on a circle, as well as angles created by those intersections. Understanding the behavior of secant lines is crucial for solving problems related to circles in geometry.