2007-01-14 00:08:12 · 7 answers · asked by 8 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
Possible to be both.
The greater the gradient,the steeper it is.
curvy or straight isn't a good indicator of the line whether it is steeper or not.
2007-01-14 00:11:50 · answer #1 · answered by A 150 Days Of Flood 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you don't want vague ideas, you have to take a family of curves given by y=tf(x), where t is a parameter and wonder whether the curvature is
decreasing as a function of t or not. The radius of curvature at the point of coordinates (x,y) will be (1+t^2f'(x)^2)^{3/2} / tf''(x). This tends to infinity when t goes to infinity or 0. In between there is a minimum where the curvature is maximum. The conclusion is that you can't tell in general. However if you look at parabolas, you see that the maximum curvature is attained at the vertex of the parabola. So the steepest the parabola, the biggest the highest value of the curvature...
2007-01-14 09:19:57 · answer #2 · answered by gianlino 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Steeper curves are more straight as they can be assumed to be a few straight lines in between curves.
2007-01-14 08:25:48 · answer #3 · answered by nayanmange 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
More straight. This is as the gradient will get closer to infinity as it becomes steeper, close to being a vertical line.
2007-01-14 08:40:01 · answer #4 · answered by Death Blade 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I feel they're straighter, because being very steep doesn't give much scope for varying the gradient. But this is an intuitive answer, not an authoratitive one.
2007-01-14 08:14:52 · answer #5 · answered by Hy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Definitely more straight..
2007-01-14 08:30:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
More straight.
2007-01-14 08:20:12 · answer #7 · answered by ag_iitkgp 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋