Geodesic Line (Noun)
Meaning
(mathematics) the shortest line between two points on a mathematically defined surface (as a straight line on a plane or an arc of a great circle on a sphere).
Classification
Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes.
Examples
- The geodesic line on a spherical surface is the shortest path between two points and corresponds to an arc of a great circle.
- In differential geometry, mathematicians study the properties of geodesic lines to determine the curvature of a surface.
- The pilot navigated the aircraft along the geodesic line to ensure the shortest route between two airports on opposite sides of the Earth.
- To find the shortest distance between two cities on a map, we need to follow the geodesic line on the Earth's surface.
- The geodesic line of a flat torus can be a complex curve when viewed as a projection onto a two-dimensional surface.