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Section 6.1 Axioms for Projective Geometry

Subsection 6.1.1 Motivating Illustration

Checkpoint 6.1.1.

Consider the following illustration as a motivation of this geometry. Consider standing in the middle of Kansas looking down a perfectly straight road that extends all the way to the horizon.
  1. Presuming perfect construction, the two sides of the road are lines with what geometric property?
  2. As you look toward the horizon, what do the sides of the road appear to do?
  3. Two lines always intersect in one what?
  4. Consider all the lane line markings (there are more than two). All of these lines are what compared to each other and appear to do what?
  5. If you are in an intersection of two roads (not in the same direction), will the lane markings all converge together?
  6. How many different convergent locations are there?

Definition 6.1.2. Ideal Point.

A point is an ideal point if and only if it is the intersection of parallel lines. These are sometimes called "points at infinity."

Definition 6.1.3. Ideal Line.

A line is the ideal line if and only if it consists of solely ideal points.

Subsection 6.1.2 Axioms for Projective Geometry

The first four axioms above are the definition of a finite projective geometry. The fifth axiom is added for infinite projective geometries and may not be used for proofs of finite projective geometries.

Subsection 6.1.3 Duality

Definition 6.1.11. Projective Duality.

A statement is the projective dual of another statement if and only if one statement is obtained from the other by switching the roles of "point" and "line."