Approximation by multiple linear segments A curve in the plane can be approximated by connecting a finite number of points on the curve using line segments to create a polygonal path. Since it is stra...Approximation by multiple linear segments A curve in the plane can be approximated by connecting a finite number of points on the curve using line segments to create a polygonal path. Since it is straightforward to calculate the length of each linear segment, the total length of the approximation can be found by summing the lengths of each linear segment.