Maths - Geometric elements - lines

Straight Lines

Infinite Line

A line of infinite length is like a single dimension within a higher dimensional space. There are two cases to consider:

Finite Line

A line may be defined as the shortest distance between two points (assuming that space itself is not curved). We could define such a line using 2 vectors (for instance, the two endpoints or one endpoint and the distance and direction to the other).

Curved Lines

Euclid defined a line as "A line is breadthless length". In two dimensions a line could represent the boundary between two adjoining areas.

 

 


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cover The Geometry of Physics : An Introduction

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