Compare 2 segments on the plane - this is a typical geometry problem for students in grade 7. There are several different methods for performing this comparison, and we will talk about each of them in detail. Such tasks are performed elementarily and are the basis for the study of further material. It is worth remembering this simple process once, and in the future there will be no difficulties with similar tasks.
What is a segment
Before telling how to compare 2 segments, let's look at what a segment is on a plane.
A definition from a geometry textbook states that a line is part of a line that is limited on two sides by two points.
If we consider one straight line, a segment will be considered to be a set that consists of two different points of this line (actually, the ends of the segment), as well as the rest of the set of all points that are located between them (the so-called internal points).
Comparison of two segments
So, in the question of how to compare 2 segments, the following methods can be distinguished:
- Overlay. In order to perform a comparison of two segments, you need to overlay one of them on the other. Accordingly, the segment that will contain the second segment as a whole is larger. If the ends of these segments coincide, then their lengths are equal.
- The second way to compare 2 segments in geometry is to find out how many units their length differs. To do this, using a ruler with the same values, first measure one segment, then another, and subtract the second from the first result.
In the event that the difference is a positive number, then the first segment is longer than the second by the corresponding number of units. If the result is a zero value, the segments are equal. And if the answer is a negative number, therefore, the second segment is longer than the first.
Output
So, we figured out how to compare 2 segments. The first method only indicates which one will be longer and which one will be shorter, and the second shows the numerical value of the difference in length.