Before entering fully into the meaning of the term parallel lines that concerns us now, we are going to proceed to discover the etymological origin of the two words that give it shape:
-Lines, first of all, derives from the Latin “linea”. This word, in turn, comes from the Greek “linon” which can be translated as “linen thread.”
-Parallels, secondly, emanates from “parallelos”, which is the result of the sum of two well-differentiated lexical components: “para”, which is synonymous with “next to”, and “allelos”. This term derives from “allos”, which means “others”.
In the field of geometry , a succession of points that is indefinite and continuous is called a line . When the lines are equidistant from each other and cannot cross no matter how much they extend, they are parallel .
Parallel lines , therefore, never meet . It doesn't matter if they extend in one direction or another: they will never intersect. This is because they always remain at the same distance, without changes (they do not move away or get closer).
We can find examples of parallel lines in many situations in everyday life. In general, streets that do not intersect in a city are parallel. Rivadavia and Yerbal Avenue, to mention two cases, are two streets in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( Argentine Republic ) that, on a map or plan, appear as parallel lines. These arteries do not meet and do not form any corners, since they develop parallel.
On a soccer field, meanwhile, we can find different parallel lines. The baselines , on which the goals are located, are parallel. The same can be said regarding the lateral lines . Thus, the bottom lines and the side lines form a rectangle.
In addition to everything indicated, we cannot ignore that parallel lines have a series of properties. Specifically, we are referring to the following:
-Symmetric, which states that if one line is parallel to another, that line will be parallel to what the first line is.
-Reflective. This property indicates that every line is parallel to itself.
-Transitive, which determines that if one line is parallel to another and this in turn is parallel to a third, we can establish that the first will be parallel to what the third line is.
In the same way, we cannot ignore that parallel lines have been the subject of study on numerous occasions throughout history. Thus, for example, we can establish that Euclid gave shape to what became known as the Postulate of Parallels.
“Parallel Lines” , on the other hand, is the title of a book by the Argentine musician Charly García . In the work , the singer-songwriter tells the story of the concerts he gave with two string quartets at the famous Teatro Colón . The book was published by Planeta in 2013 and has 128 pages.