Have you ever imagined that a ruler or a football field or a railway line are which types of line?. All these lines are the types of perpendicular lines which measure about 90 degrees when intersected. A perpendicular line can be defined as the line which is formed when two lines (distinct, from each other) intersect with each other resulting in the formation of 90 degrees also known as a right angle.
One unique fact about this line is that it always forms the shape of the letter ‘L’. If a line that is not perpendicular can be defined as parallel lines. This line is also known as vertical line. The distribution of power amongst the state, central and local bodies is done vertically or perpendicularly. In this article, we will try to cover some basic aspects of the perpendicular lines such as properties of this line, how to draw it using a compass and a protector and compare these lines from parallel lines.
Parallel Line
The lines which never intersect each other and lie in the same can be defined as the parallel line. The opposite of perpendicular lines is parallel lines. These lines are equidistant or at an equal distance from each other. The parallel lines result in the formation of various pairs of angles such as supplementary, complementary, and congruent or equal.
The angles which add up to the formation of 90 degrees are said to be complementary angles and those angles which sum up to 180 degrees are defined as supplementary angles. Any two lines are said to be parallel to each other if the corresponding angles are equal to each other. In the next section, we shall see the properties of a parallel line which makes it different from other lines.
Some Significant Properties of Parallel Lines
As mentioned above, the lines which never intersect each other and lie in the same can be defined as the parallel line. The following points analyze the significant properties of a parallel line which makes it distinctive from others.
- Those straight lines which are equal to each other also known as equidistant in nature can be defined as parallel lines.
- These lines never intersect or bisect with each other. If they are extended higher as well, they do not meet at any cost.
Some Significant Properties of Perpendicular Lines
We have already discussed that perpendicular lines are those lines that are formed when two lines (distinct, from each other) intersect with each other resulting in the formation of 90 degrees. The following points analyze the important properties of perpendicular lines:
- These lines always intersect or meet with one another. This results in the formation of a right angle which measures about 90 degrees.
- Perpendicular lines form a shape that looks like the letter ‘L’. This property will help you to identify perpendicular lines.
- The perpendicular lines can be seen in various geometrical shapes such as square, rectangle, and a right-angled triangle.
How to Draw a Perpendicular line using the help of a Protractor
The following points analyze the steps of drawing a perpendicular line with the help of a protractor:
- The first step is to place the protractor at the baseline and name it ‘P’.
- Find the 90 degrees in the protractor and mark a point on it. Name it ‘Q’.
- Using the help of a scale or ruler, make a straight line till the point Q.
- The perpendicular line is drawn, ‘PQ’.
If you want to learn about the parallel lines and perpendicular lines in a detailed, fun, and interactive manner, visit Cuemath. It also provides math worksheets and puzzles which will make studying math interesting.
