Which statement most accurately defines a ray?
A. all points of a line that are between two fixed points of the line
B. All points of a line that are on one side of a fixed point including the fixed point
C. All points of a line that are on either side of a fixed point
D. All points of a line that are between two fixed points of the line including the two fixed points
B. All points of a line that are on one side of a fixed point including the fixed point
To understand what a ray is, let's break down the options and analyze them.
A. This statement describes a line segment, not a ray. A line segment is a portion of a line that extends between two fixed points on the line, including those two points.
B. This statement is the closest to the definition of a ray. A ray is a part of a line that starts at a fixed point (called the endpoint) and extends indefinitely in one direction. It includes all the points on one side of the fixed point, including the fixed point itself.
C. This statement is incorrect. It resembles the definition of two rays, not a single ray. Two rays share a common endpoint but extend in opposite directions.
D. This statement describes a line segment, similar to option A. As mentioned earlier, a line segment has two fixed points, and it includes all the points between those two points, including the two endpoints.
Based on the above analysis, the option that most accurately defines a ray is B – "All points of a line that are on one side of a fixed point including the fixed point."