An alignment segment that is not dependent on another segment at either end is referred to as ______.

An alignment segment that is not dependent on another segment at either end is referred to as ______.

• A. Free
• B. Detached
• C. Fixed
• D. Floating

Answer: (C)

At stake is how alignment segments relate to their neighbors. If neither end of a segment is tied to or dependent on the geometry of adjacent segments, that segment is fixed in place. Its endpoints and overall geometry won’t automatically adjust to maintain tangency or alignment with neighboring pieces, so the segment remains anchored as defined. This is useful when you want a portion of the alignment to stay exactly as specified, independent of changes elsewhere. The other terms imply some constraint or looseness that would allow the ends to respond to neighboring geometry, which isn’t the case here.

At stake is how alignment segments relate to their neighbors. If neither end of a segment is tied to or dependent on the geometry of adjacent segments, that segment is fixed in place. Its endpoints and overall geometry won’t automatically adjust to maintain tangency or alignment with neighboring pieces, so the segment remains anchored as defined. This is useful when you want a portion of the alignment to stay exactly as specified, independent of changes elsewhere. The other terms imply some constraint or looseness that would allow the ends to respond to neighboring geometry, which isn’t the case here.