Horizontal and vertical lines
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Geometry - properties of shapes
Measurement
Fractions
Multiplication and division
Addition and subtraction
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Explainer Video
Summary
Horizontal and vertical lines
In a nutshell
You have different names for different types of straight lines. Horizontal and vertical lines are opposites. Horizontal lines go left to right. Vertical lines go up and down.
Horizontal lines
A line is horizontal when it goes left to right. It comes from the word 'horizon' which is the line in the distance where you see the earth and the sky meet. You can tell that a line is horizontal if it is laying down or 'sleeping'.
Example 1
How many pencils are horizontal?
The pencils are horizontal if they go left to right. See how many are 'sleeping'.
There are two in the picture, so the answer is:
There are horizontal pencils.
Vertical lines
A line is vertical when it goes up and down. You can imagine that the line is 'standing'.
Example 2
How many pencils are vertical?
The pencils are vertical if they are going up and down or 'standing'.
There are three in the picture, so the answer is:
There are vertical pencils.
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
What is an example of a vertical line?
A pencil 'standing' straight up on a table is an example of a vertical line.
What is a vertical line?
A line is vertical when it goes up and down.
What is a horizontal line?
A line is horizontal when it goes left to right.