Parallel and Intersecting Lines | IT

Question 2

Can two straight lines intersect at more than one point?

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Solution

A straight line is uniquely defined by two distinct points.

Step 1 — How Lines Cross

Imagine two different straight lines. Let us call them Line A and Line B. We can draw them on a paper. If these lines are not parallel. They will cross each other. They meet at only one single place. This meeting place is called the intersection point. We can see this with a ruler and pencil. Draw two lines that cross. They will always meet at just one point.

Diagram 1

Step 2 — More Than One Meeting Point?

What if two lines met at two different points? Let us call these points Point 1 and Point 2. Line 1 passes through Point 1 and Point 2. Line 2 also passes through Point 1 and Point 2. There is a rule in geometry. Only one unique straight line can pass through two distinct points. So, if Line 1 and Line 2 share two points. They must be the exact same line. They are not two separate lines. They are just one line drawn twice. What if lines never meet at all? These lines are called parallel lines. Parallel lines never cross each other. So, they have zero intersection points. Therefore, two distinct straight lines can only meet at most one point.

Answer

(i) No, two straight lines can only intersect at one point. (ii) If they are parallel, they never intersect. (iii) If two lines appear to intersect at more than one point, it means they are the same.

More questions in IT

Q1

Context: Let us observe what happens when two lines intersect.

Q. How many angles do they form?

Q2

Can two straight lines intersect at more than one point?

Q3

In Fig. 5.2, if a\angle a is 120120^\circ, can you figure out the measurements of b\angle b, c\angle c and d\angle d, without drawing and measuring them?

Q4

Context: When two lines intersect each other and form four angles, labelled aa, bb, cc and dd, then a\angle a and c\angle c are equal, and b\angle b and d\angle d are equal.

Q. Is this always true for any pair of intersecting lines?

Q5

Can you draw a pair of intersecting lines such that all four angles are equal? Can you figure out what will be the measure of each angle?

Q6

Observe Fig. 5.5 and describe the way the line segments meet or cross each other in each case, with appropriate mathematical words (a point, an endpoint, the midpoint, meet, intersect) and the degree measure of each angle.

Q7

Are line segments ST and UV likely to meet if they are extended?

Q8

Are line segments OP and QR likely to meet if they are extended?

Q9

Name some parallel lines you can spot in your classroom.

Q10

Which pairs of lines appear to be parallel in Fig. 5.6 below?

Q11

Is it possible for all the eight angles to have different measurements? Why, why not?

Q12

What about five different angles — 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2?

Q13

Suppose, we have a transversal intersecting two parallel lines. What can be said about the corresponding angles?

Q14

Context: Activity 5 In Fig. 5.20, draw a transversal tt to the lines ll and mm such that one pair of corresponding angles is equal. You can measure the angles with a protractor.

Q. Are you finding it hard to draw a transversal such that the corresponding angles are equal?

Q15

Draw two more parallel lines using the long side of the set square as shown in Fig. 5.22. How do you know these two lines are parallel? Can you check if the corresponding angles are equal?

Q17

Why are lines ll and mm parallel to each other?

Q18

Is there a relation between 3\angle 3 and 6\angle 6? You could try to find the relationship by taking different values for 3\angle 3 and see what 6\angle 6 is. Once you find a relation, try to justify it or prove that this relation holds always.

Q19

There do not seem to be any parallel lines here. Or, are there?

What causes these illusions?

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