Horizontal Line and Vertical Line and the Differences Between the Two

We often get confused with the meaning of the horizontal line and the vertical line. However, it is very simple to understand. The word horizontal comes from the word horizon which means a line at which the sky and the surface of the earth appear to meet. A straight line either drawn from the left to the right or from the right to the left and which is parallel to the x-axis is called a horizontal line. Different bases that we draw for the geometrical figures are examples of horizontal lines. The concept of horizontal lines and vertical lines will be of great importance starting from the lower levels to the advanced levels of mathematics. In this article, we will discuss the horizontal lines, the vertical lines, and their respective properties. We will also discuss the differences between both lines.

What Do You Mean by Vertical Lines?

A line that is perpendicular to the other line, where the other line is considered the base is known as the vertical line. A vertical line remains parallel to the y-axis. Generally, they form an angle of 90 degrees with respect to the horizontal lines. In geometrical figures like squares and rectangles, those lines which join the bases are called the vertical lines. Some real-life examples of vertical lines are straight standing poles, straight bamboo trees, etc. Examples of a vertical line in a coordinate plane are (8,0), (8,1), (8,6), (8,4). Here, the line which is 8 units away from the origin and in the right direction is the vertical line. For different values of y, we have a single value of x in the case of vertical lines.

What Do You Mean by Horizontal Lines?

Those lines in coordinate geometry which are parallel to the x-axis are called horizontal lines. Horizontal lines are sometimes also referred to as the sleeping lines. Some real-life examples of horizontal lines are planks on the tracks of rail, wooden steps of a ladder, etc. Any straight line that passes from the left to the right and vice versa is called the horizontal line. Examples of a horizontal line in a coordinate plane are (1,6), (4,6), (5,6). For different values of x, we have a single value of y in case of vertical lines.

Various Properties of Vertical Lines

• y-intercept is not present in the equation of the vertical line, because the vertical line is parallel to the y-axis.
• x=a or x=-a is the equation of a vertical line.
• A vertical line has a slope that is not defined.
• To check whether a relation is a function, a vertical line is used.

Various Properties of Horizontal Lines

• Horizontal lines are always parallel to the x-axis in the coordinate plane.
• Horizontal lines when intersecting with the vertical lines form an angle equal to 90 degrees, also known as the right angle.

Differentiating Points Between the Horizontal Line and the Vertical Line

The concept of horizontal lines and vertical lines are very important to understand and grasp the concepts of geometry. Let us discuss the differentiating points between both these lines.

• Horizontal lines are parallel to the x-axis while vertical lines are perpendicular to the x-axis.
• Horizontal lines are perpendicular to the y-axis while vertical lines are parallel to the y-axis.
• Horizontal means right to left or left to right, while vertical means up to down or down to up.
• Both the lines are perpendicular to each other in nature.

If you want to learn more about the concepts of vertical lines and horizontal lines in detail and in a fun and interesting manner, visit Cuemath’s website. It is one of the best online education platforms that work to make you fall in love with the subject of mathematics.