Plane \Plane\, a. [L. planus: cf. F. plan. See Plan, a.]
   Without elevations or depressions; even; level; flat; lying
   in, or constituting, a plane; as, a plane surface.
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   Note: In science, this word (instead of plain) is almost
         exclusively used to designate a flat or level surface.
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   Plane angle, the angle included between two straight lines
      in a plane.

   Plane chart, Plane curve. See under Chart and Curve.
      

   Plane figure, a figure all points of which lie in the same
      plane. If bounded by straight lines it is a rectilinear
      plane figure, if by curved lines it is a curvilinear plane
      figure.

   Plane geometry, that part of geometry which treats of the
      relations and properties of plane figures.

   Plane problem, a problem which can be solved geometrically
      by the aid of the right line and circle only.

   Plane sailing (Naut.), the method of computing a ship's
      place and course on the supposition that the earth's
      surface is a plane.

   Plane scale (Naut.), a scale for the use of navigators, on
      which are graduated chords, sines, tangents, secants,
      rhumbs, geographical miles, etc.

   Plane surveying, surveying in which the curvature of the
      earth is disregarded; ordinary field and topographical
      surveying of tracts of moderate extent.

   Plane table, an instrument used for plotting the lines of a
      survey on paper in the field.

   Plane trigonometry, the branch of trigonometry in which its
      principles are applied to plane triangles.
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Curve \Curve\, n. [See Curve, a., Cirb.]
   1. A bending without angles; that which is bent; a flexure;
      as, a curve in a railway or canal.
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   2. (Geom.) A line described according to some low, and having
      no finite portion of it a straight line.
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   Axis of a curve. See under Axis.

   Curve of quickest descent. See Brachystochrone.

   Curve tracing (Math.), the process of determining the
      shape, location, singular points, and other peculiarities
      of a curve from its equation.

   Plane curve (Geom.), a curve such that when a plane passes
      through three points of the curve, it passes through all
      the other points of the curve. Any other curve is called a
      curve of double curvature, or a twisted curve.
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