What characterizes two parallel lines in geometry?

Two parallel lines in geometry are characterized by having the same slope and will never intersect. This means that as you extend the lines infinitely in both directions, they maintain a consistent distance apart and do not cross each other at any point. The concept of slope is a measure of how steep a line is, typically represented as "rise over run." If two lines share the same slope, they will always rise and run at the same rate, ensuring their parallel relationship.

Maintaining equidistance is related to parallel lines as it supports the idea that they never meet, but the fundamental definition is grounded in the concept of identical slopes. Lines with different slopes will always intersect, while lines forming a right angle with another line, or intersecting at one point, inherently do not exhibit the qualities of parallelism.