what is diameter?
The diameter of a circle or sphere is a fundamental geometric concept. Let’s break it down: Circle Diameter: In the context of a circle, the diameter is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and has its endpoints lying on the circle itself. Alternatively, it can be defined as the longest chord of the circle. The length of the diameter is also referred to simply as the diameter. Fun fact: All diameters of a circle have the same length, which is twice the radius of the circle. Sphere Diameter: The same definitions apply to a sphere as well. The diameter of a sphere is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the sphere and has its endpoints on the sphere’s surface. Again, the length of this diameter is also called the diameter of the sphere. Generalization: While these definitions are specific to circles and spheres, the concept of diameter extends to other shapes too. For any convex or non-convex object in any dimension (such as a hypercube or a set of scattered points), the diameter is the least upper bound of all distances between pairs of points within that object. In simpler terms, it’s the longest distance you can measure within the shape. So, when you encounter the term “diameter,” think of it as the line that cuts through the center of a circle or sphere, connecting opposite points on its boundary. It’s a fundamental measurement in geometry!

