What Are The Subsets Of A Line In Geometry?

In geometry, a line is a perfectly straight one-dimensional figure extending infinitely in both directions. There are two subsets, or subcategories, of lines in geometry: line segments and rays.

Line Segments

A line segment is a piece of a line that has two distinct endpoints. Because of these endpoints, unlike a line, a line segment doesn't extend infinitely. Rather, it is finite, with a measurable length.

Rays

A ray is essentially a hybrid between a line and a line segment. A ray has exactly one endpoint — called its origin — and extends infinitely in the other direction. Like lines, rays are infinite and therefore immeasurable. Rays may sometimes be referred to as half-lines.

Cite This Article

MLA

Harris, Amy. "What Are The Subsets Of A Line In Geometry?" sciencing.com, https://www.sciencing.com/subsets-line-geometry-8212934/. 24 April 2017.

APA

Harris, Amy. (2017, April 24). What Are The Subsets Of A Line In Geometry?. sciencing.com. Retrieved from https://www.sciencing.com/subsets-line-geometry-8212934/

Chicago

Harris, Amy. What Are The Subsets Of A Line In Geometry? last modified March 24, 2022. https://www.sciencing.com/subsets-line-geometry-8212934/

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