Ray Definition

Throughout daily life, we come across various angles, like the hands of a clock, a slice of pizza, an arrowhead pointing in a specific direction, etc. We need to understand a ray in maths to arrange an angle. Depending on how we arrange the rays, we may create various angles.

Ray

In mathematics, a ray is a segment of a line with a fixed starting point but no end. That can go on forever in a single direction. A ray cannot be measured since it has no endpoint.

Interesting Facts

A ray is something like the sun's rays. The sun is the starting point or point of origin, and its light beams travel through our solar system endlessly.

Identifying a Ray in Mathematics

A ray may cross more than one point on its path to infinity. Each moment a ray passes through after its starting point is used to name the ray. Thus, the initial letter of a ray's name denotes its origin. A little ray is drawn on top of the name of the ray to show the ray's designation. The illustration below shows a ray PQ. In this example, ray PQ has point P as its origin and passes via point Q on its way to infinity. Have a look at the diagram below now. It has a ray that passes endlessly across two different positions. This ray begins at point P. It might be called ray PE or ray PF.

Angles and Rays

In geometry, an angle is created when two rays have a similar terminal. Each of the angles in the illustration below is composed of two rays. The rays originate at the vertex of the angles. The vertex is what provides the angle's measurement to us. The rays emanating from the angles' arms. Degrees (°) are used to express angles.

The rays BA and BC in the illustration below combine to generate the angle ABC.

Things to Keep in Mind about Rays

1. Geometrically speaking, a ray is a shape without a height or width. There is simply an infinite length to it.
2. A ray's origin point must always be mentioned in its name.
3. To create an angle, two rays are required.

Conclusion

It's crucial to understand rays in mathematics. It aids in understanding the idea of an angle and allows us to build a polygon using several angles.

Some Questions and Answers about Ray

Question 1: In the illustration shown, where does ray GF end?

Answer: The endpoint of ray GF in the displayed figure is G. As a ray's endpoint is always its origin, in this case, G serves as the endpoint.

Question 2: Which rays in the illustration below oppose one another?

Answer: In the illustration, rays GH and GC oppose one another. These rays originate at G and travel in the opposite direction before coming together to form a straight angle.

Question 3: Name any five of the rays that may be observed in the below figure.

Answer: Five rays are depicted in the provided figure: Rays OC, OA, OG, CA, and GS. Here, point O is the source of the rays OC, OA, and OG. The endpoint of ray CA is C, while the endpoint of ray GS is G.

Question 4: What is the difference between a ray and a line?

Answer: A ray has a fixed starting point and extends endlessly in another direction. But a line has no starting point and extends endlessly in both directions.

Question 5: Can a ray be extended indefinitely?

Answer: Yes, we can indefinitely extend a ray in a single direction. A ray cannot be stretched endlessly in both directions since it originates from a fixed point.

Question 6: What is a ray's thickness?

Answer: There is no thickness to a ray. It has an infinite length and is one-dimensional.

Question 7: What does a ray's sign represent?

Answer: A little arrow (->), positioned above the ray's name, serves as its sign.