Small circle is defined as which of the following?

• A. On the Surface of the Earth Formed by the Intersection of a Plane That Passes Through the Center of the Sphere
• B. On the Surface of the Earth Formed by the Intersection of a Plane That Does Not Pass Through Center of Sphere
• C. A Great Circle
• D. A Line of Longitude

Answer: (B)

A small circle on the Earth’s surface is formed when a plane cuts the sphere but does not pass through the center. That offset creates a circle smaller than the equator. Latitudes other than the equator are typical examples, because their defining plane is parallel to the equatorial plane but offset from the center. If the plane did pass through the center, the intersection would be a great circle—the largest possible circle on the sphere. A line of longitude, by contrast, is a meridian, which is a half of a great circle from pole to pole, not a small circle. So the description that matches a small circle is the intersection of a plane that does not pass through the sphere’s center with the surface.