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Curve vs. Contour — What's the Difference?

Curve vs. Contour — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Curve and Contour

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Curve

In mathematics, a curve (also called a curved line in older texts) is an object similar to a line, but that does not have to be straight. Intuitively, a curve may be thought of as the trace left by a moving point.

Contour

The outline of a figure, body, or mass.

Curve

A line that deviates from straightness in a smooth, continuous fashion.

Contour

A line that represents such an outline.

Curve

A surface that deviates from planarity in a smooth, continuous fashion.
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Contour

A contour line.

Curve

Something characterized by such a line or surface, especially a rounded line or contour of the human body.

Contour

A varying characteristic or quality of something, such as a melody.

Curve

A relatively smooth bend in a road or other course.

Contour

(Linguistics) The distinctive rising and falling patterns of pitch, tone, or stress.

Curve

A line representing data on a graph.

Contour

To make or shape the outline of; represent in contour.

Curve

A trend derived from or as if from such a graph
"Once again, the politicians are behind the curve" (Ted Kennedy).

Contour

To build (a road, for example) to follow the contour of the land.

Curve

A graphic representation showing the relative performance of individuals as measured against each other, used especially as a method of grading students in which the assignment of grades is based on predetermined proportions of students.

Contour

Following the contour lines of uneven terrain to limit erosion of topsoil
Contour plowing.

Curve

The graph of a function on a coordinate plane.

Contour

Shaped to fit the outline or form of something
A contour sheet.

Curve

The intersection of two surfaces in three dimensions.

Contour

An outline, boundary or border, usually of curved shape.
The low drag contour of a modern automobile

Curve

The graph of the solutions to any equation of two variables.

Contour

A line on a map or chart delineating those points which have the same altitude or other plotted quantity: a contour line or isopleth. Category:en:Curves

Curve

(Baseball) A curve ball.

Contour

(linguistics) a speech sound which behaves as a single segment, but which makes an internal transition from one quality, place, or manner to another.

Curve

(Slang) Something that is unexpected or designed to trick or deceive.

Contour

(figurative) A general description giving the most important points.

Curve

To move in or take the shape of a curve
The path curves around the lake.

Contour

(transitive) To form a more or less curved boundary or border upon.

Curve

To cause to curve.

Contour

(transitive) To mark with contour lines.

Curve

(Baseball) To pitch (a ball) with a curve.

Contour

(intransitive) To practise the makeup technique of contouring.

Curve

To grade (students, for example) on a curve.

Contour

The outline of a figure or body, or the line or lines representing such an outline; the line that bounds; periphery.
Titian's coloring and contours.

Curve

(obsolete) Bent without angles; crooked; curved. Category:en:Curves
A curve line
A curve surface

Contour

The outline of a horizontal section of the ground, or of works of fortification.

Curve

A gentle bend, such as in a road.
You should slow down when approaching a curve.

Contour

A line drawn on a map connecting points of equal height

Curve

A simple figure containing no straight portions and no angles; a curved line.
She scribbled a curve on the paper.

Contour

Any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline);
He could barely make out their shapes through the smoke

Curve

A grading system based on the scale of performance of a group used to normalize a right-skewed grade distribution (with more lower scores) into a bell curve, so that more can receive higher grades, regardless of their actual knowledge of the subject.
The teacher was nice and graded the test on a curve.

Contour

A feature (or the order or arrangement of features) of anything having a complex structure;
The contours of the melody
It defines a major contour of this administration

Curve

(analytic geometry) A continuous map from a one-dimensional space to a multidimensional space.

Contour

Form the contours of

Curve

(geometry) A one-dimensional figure of non-zero length; the graph of a continuous map from a one-dimensional space.

Curve

(algebraic geometry) An algebraic curve; a polynomial relation of the planar coordinates.

Curve

(topology) A one-dimensional continuum.

Curve

The attractive shape of a woman's body.

Curve

(transitive) To bend; to crook.
To curve a line
To curve a pipe

Curve

(transitive) To cause to swerve from a straight course.
To curve a ball in pitching it

Curve

(intransitive) To bend or turn gradually from a given direction.
The road curves to the right

Curve

(transitive) To grade on a curve (bell curve of a normal distribution).
The teacher will curve the test.

Curve

(transitive) (slang) To reject, to turn down romantic advances.
I was once curved three times by the same woman.

Curve

Bent without angles; crooked; curved; as, a curve line; a curve surface.

Curve

A bending without angles; that which is bent; a flexure; as, a curve in a railway or canal.

Curve

A line described according to some low, and having no finite portion of it a straight line.

Curve

To bend; to crook; as, to curve a line; to curve a pipe; to cause to swerve from a straight course; as, to curve a ball in pitching it.

Curve

To bend or turn gradually from a given direction; as, the road curves to the right.

Curve

The trace of a point whose direction of motion changes

Curve

A line on a graph representing data

Curve

A baseball thrown with spin so that its path curves as it approach the batter

Curve

The property possessed by the curving of a line or surface

Curve

Curved segment (of a road or river or railroad track etc.)

Curve

Turn sharply; change direction abruptly;
The car cut to the left at the intersection
The motorbike veered to the right

Curve

Extend in curves and turns;
The road winds around the lake

Curve

Form an arch or curve;
Her back arches
Her hips curve nicely

Curve

Bend or cause to bend;
He crooked his index finger
The road curved sharply

Curve

Form a curl, curve, or kink;
The cigar smoke curled up at the ceiling

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