An influence line usually pertains to a particular section of a beam, and is a curve so drawn that its ordinate at any point represents the value of the reaction, vertical shear, bending moment, or deflection produced at the particular section by a unit load applied at the point where the ordinate is measured. An influence line may be used to show the effect of load position on any quantity dependent thereon, such as the stress in a given truss member, the deflection of a truss, the twisting moment in a shaft, etc.