Parallel Lines

Zoey was going to go on a train ride with her father for spring break, and she was pretty nervous about it. She had never been on a train before, and well, they just seemed so intimidating! How did she know the train wouldn’t go off course? Plus, they were so loud with the choo-chooing. It scared her!

Liam noticed one day, as they were walking near the train tracks, and asked her what was up. “Zoey, you okay?”

Zoey nodded, “Kind of. I’m going on a train tomorrow, for spring break with my dad. I’m nervous… I’ve never been on a train before. And, I always get scared that these two tracks are gonna get closer until the train flies off!”

Liam laughed, “Well, I can assure you that won’t happen. These tracks are parallel lines. That means that they’ll run side by side, but never meet or touch.”

As they followed the railroad tracks, Maya observed, "So, these lines are always heading in the same direction but never touching. Just like the lanes on a road?"

Liam nodded, "Exactly! Roads with multiple lanes are an example of parallel lines. The lanes run side by side, always keeping the same distance between each other, just like our railroad tracks. It’s hard to explain, but when these lines cross another line, they’ll end up forming the same angle."

Orion, the ever-curious robot, chimed in, "And what about those tall buildings in the distance? Are they related to parallel lines too?"

Liam smiled, "Great observation, Orion! Tall buildings often have vertical lines that are parallel. They rise up together but never converge at the top. It's another example of how parallel lines are present all around us."

Zoey was so grateful that Liam had taught her about parallel lines before the trip. One of her biggest fears seemed to disappear! It made the trip all the more enjoyable, and the train ride wasn’t nearly as horrible as she thought it would be.