Parallel and Intersecting Lines

Are the streets in your neighborhood always straight? Do they intersect? Does one street run alongside the other? Do they all go in the same directions? Many neighborhoods are made up of parallel and intersecting streets.

Parallel lines are always the same distance apart, never cross, and do not have an endpoint in common. We use the symbol || to indicate when lines are parallel. The ten yard lines on a football field are parallel lines.

Intersecting lines are lines that do cross, lines that have one point in common. The lines on a railroad crossing sign are intersecting lines.

Find and record in your journal at least two examples of parallel and intersecting lines.

Parallel and Intersecting Lines (videos)

Watch the videos and notice how the CyberSquad uses their understanding of parallel and intersecting lines to determine where the transformer can be found.

• Part 1: Two sightings, different information (video)
• Part 2: Finding the Intersection (video)

After you have watched the videos, record you response to the following prompt in your math journal:

Explain the difference between the two models created by Inez and Digit. Use the following vocabulary: line(s), parallel, and intersecting.