Curve
A word used to indicate any path, whether actually curved or straight,
closed or open. A curve can be on a plane or
in three-dimensional space (or n-dimensional
space, for that matter).
Lines, circles, arcs, parabolas, polygons, and helixes are
all types of curves.
Note: Typically curves are thought of as the set of
all geometric
figures that
can be parametrized using a
single parameter. This is not
in fact accurate, but
it is a useful way to conceptualize curves. The exceptions to this
rule require some cleverness, or at least some exposure to
space-filling curves.
See also
Surface, solid, arc
length of a curve
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