Geodesics on an ellipsoid

Geodesics on an ellipsoid are like pathways that are the shortest and quickest way to get from one point to another on a round ball. Imagine the ellipsoid is a beach ball that has been squished in the middle. If you took a marker and drew a line from one point on the beach ball to another, the line would be a geodesic on an ellipsoid. Geodesics help us figure out the quickest way to get from one place to another.