Elevation drawings and terrain representation: Does an elevation drawing necessarily consist of a series of intersecting straight lines of precisely measured lengths, or can it include curves and profiles derived from contours?

Introduction / Context:
Elevation drawings (or vertical profiles) are used in architecture, civil engineering, and mapping to show façade geometry or ground elevations along a baseline. The statement that an elevation drawing is “a series of intersecting straight lines of measured lengths” is misleading and overly restrictive.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Elevation views can depict buildings (architectural elevations) or terrain profiles (civil profiles).
• Contours and surveyed points inform the vertical geometry.
• Real-world surfaces are not limited to straight segments.

Concept / Approach:
An elevation or profile may include straight segments, curves, and irregular lines that reflect actual surface changes. In terrain profiles, ground lines are often smooth or piecewise-curved. In façades, lines meet at corners, but glazing, arches, or decorative features introduce curves. Therefore, the definition cannot be limited to “intersecting straight lines.”

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Compare a roadway profile drawing: vertical curves (parabolic) are common and essential for comfort and sight distance—clearly not just intersecting straight lines.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Only straight lines (option B) ignores curves and complex forms.
• Only arcs (option C) is equally incorrect.
• Cadastral plats (option D) and text-only documents (option E) are unrelated to elevation geometry.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing plan, elevation, and profile; believing drafting tools constrain geometry types; forgetting vertical curves in roadway and rail design.

Final Answer:
Incorrect: elevation drawings may include profiles and curves, not only intersecting straight lines