How is a curved line measured?

How is a curved line measured?

• A. Curved or irregular distance
• B. Straight-line distance
• C. Diagonal distance
• D. Chord length

Answer: (A)

Measuring a curved line uses the curved distance—the length of the path itself, not a straight shortcut. This curve length, often called arc length, accounts for every bend along the line. In practice you determine it by following the path with a measuring wheel or by breaking the curve into small straight segments and adding their lengths. Because the path winds, this measurement is longer than the straight-line distance between the endpoints. The other options describe distances that ignore the curve: straight-line distance is the direct shot between endpoints, diagonal distance is also a straight-line measure on a grid, and chord length is the straight line directly between the endpoints inside the curve. So the curved distance best reflects the actual length of the curved line.

Measuring a curved line uses the curved distance—the length of the path itself, not a straight shortcut. This curve length, often called arc length, accounts for every bend along the line. In practice you determine it by following the path with a measuring wheel or by breaking the curve into small straight segments and adding their lengths. Because the path winds, this measurement is longer than the straight-line distance between the endpoints. The other options describe distances that ignore the curve: straight-line distance is the direct shot between endpoints, diagonal distance is also a straight-line measure on a grid, and chord length is the straight line directly between the endpoints inside the curve. So the curved distance best reflects the actual length of the curved line.