Geodesic facts for kids

In mathematics a geodesic is a curve with the shortest length between two places on a surface when considering places which are not too far. These paths on a sphere are also called great circles, such that in this case, two points are joined by two distinct geodesics. A minimal geodesic (or segment) is a particular case where the geodesic joining two distant points has the shortest length.

Images for kids

• 

  If an insect is placed on a surface and continually walks "forward", by definition it will trace out a geodesic.

• 

  Geodesic triangles in spaces of positive (top), negative (middle) and zero (bottom) curvature.