Is it possible to draw a line segment on the surface of a sphere?

Question

Is it possible to draw a line segment on the surface of a sphere?

Answer 1

No. A line segment, by definition, is a portion of a line. A line, by definition, is straight. There are no two points on the surface of a sphere that can be connected by a straight line.

A point can be made on the surface of a sphere but that is not defined to be a line segment.

Answer 2

No.A segment is defined as a 2D figure in a plane. You can have a segment by drawing a line in a circle.You could not apply it to a sphere since it is 3Dimensional. You would need a plane to to intersect the sphere to have a well defined solid segment.

Answer 3

....and the argument rages on...

What is a curved line?

If a line is not straight, is it a line?



"The shortest distance between two points is a straight line." implies curved lines. Otherwise the modifier would be redundant.



From American Heritage dictionary:



line 1 (ln) KEY



NOUN:



1. Mathematics A geometric figure formed by a point moving along a fixed direction and the reverse direction.



2. a. A thin continuous mark, as that made by a pen, pencil, or brush applied to a surface.

b. A similar mark cut or scratched into a surface.

c. A crease in the skin, especially on the face; a wrinkle.



3. a. A real or imaginary mark positioned in relation to fixed points of reference.

b. A degree or circle of longitude or latitude drawn on a map or globe.

c. The equator. Used with the.

Answer 4

that is greater convenient to entice 4 triangles with six line segments. Draw a sq., with 2 intersecting go strains. yet 3 could contain a shared apex and a uncomplicated final diagnosis for 2 of the triangles, which might slant as much as form the backside of the third triangle. If the final diagnosis remains right this moment, it basically makes use of 5 line segments, so which you're able to break the final diagnosis into 2 segments via changing the path for one area of it.

Answer 5

you can draw what looks like a line on a sphere, but it really isnt "a line" end of story

Answer 6

In Euclidian geometry, the answer is no.

However, in several forms of non-Euclidian geometry, the answer is yes.



I'm sure you're studying Euclidian geometry.

Answer 7

I would no because a line is a two dimensional figure and a sphere is a 3D shape.

Answer 8

No, it would be an arc.

Answer 9

no itz not

Answer 10

No, it is not possible. In a plane, the shortest distance between two points is a line segment, which by definition is part of a straight line in a plane. On the surface of a sphere, the lines are not straight. Instead, they are curves. A portion of a curve, analagous to a line segment, is called a chord. On the surface of a sphere, the shortest distance between two points is a chord that is a segment of a great circle, where a great circle is a circle on the surface of the sphere that has the same diameter as the sphere.

Answer 11

Yeah u are right for sure, line segments at a point are possible for any 3-D surface.

Your teacher is wrong.

What u r saying for the basketball is surely true.



Infact for a sphere or any other geometrical shape/figure you can draw infinite number of line segments passing through a point .

Answer 12

The answer is yes because a line segment starts at point a and finishes at point b regardless if it is straight or not