Geometric Construction 2
Circles
Arcs
Polygon
DETERMINING THE CENTER
Arc
Circle
DETERMINING THE CENTER
OF AN ARC/CIRCLE
Given: an arc
DETERMINING THE CENTER
OF AN ARC
1. Draw an arbitrary line with
endpoints on the circumference of
the circle. Label the endpoints of
the chord as A and
B.
A
B
DETERMINING THE CENTER
OF AN ARC
2. Draw another arbitrary line,
connected to point B with the other
endpoint on the circumference
labeled as C. A
B
DETERMINING THE CENTER
OF AN ARC
3. Using the method outlined for
bisecting a line, bisect lines A-B and
B-C.
Center at B
Center at A
Radius
greater
than onehalf AB
Center at B
Radius
Radius
greater than
greater than
one-half BC.
B one-half
AB.
Center at C
Radius
greater
C
than onehalf BC.
DETERMINING THE CENTER
OF AN ARC
4. Locate point X where the two
extended bisectors meet. Point X is
the exact center of the circle.
A
B
Drawing a circle/arc through
three points
DRAWING A CIRCLE/ARC
THROUGH THREE POINTS
Given: Three points in space at
random: A, B, and C.
A
C
DRAWING A CIRCLE/ARC
THROUGH THREE POINTS
1. With straight lines, lightly connect
points A to B, and B to C.
A
C
DRAWING A CIRCLE/ARC
THROUGH THREE POINTS
2. Using the method outlined for
bisecting a line, bisect lines A-B and
B-C.
B
A
C
DRAWING A CIRCLE/ARC
THROUGH THREE POINTS
3. Locate point X where the two
extended bisectors meet. Point X is
the exact center of the arc or circle.
B
DRAWING A CIRCLE/ARC
THROUGH THREE POINTS
4. Using X as center and radius equal to
XA (or XB or XC), draw a/an circle/arc.
The circle/arc drawn passed through
the three given points.
B
RECTIFYING AN
ARC LENGTHS
RECTIFYING AN ARC
LENGTHS
Given: an arc
RECTIFYING AN ARC
LENGTHS
1. Find the center of the arc (see
procedure for finding the center of a
circle).
A
B
RECTIFYING AN ARC
LENGTHS
2. Form the longest chord and divide it
into two (see procedure on how to
bisect a line). Connect either of the
arcs endpoints to its center.
1
A
B
O
C
2
RECTIFYING AN ARC
LENGTHS
3. Extend the chord. The length of the
extension must be equal to O2 or onehalf of the chord 12.
1
A
B
O
C
2
Line O2 = Line
23
3
RECTIFYING AN ARC
LENGTHS
4. Draw a line perpendicular to the line
connected to the arcs center and
tangent to the circle.
1
A
B
O
C
2
X
3
RECTIFYING AN ARC
LENGTHS
5.
Using point 3 as center and radius equal to
line 13, strike an arc intersecting the tangent
line at point 4.
4
A
B
O
C
Line C4 is the rectified
length of arc 12.
X
3
setting off a given length along an
arc
SETTING OFF A GIVEN
LENGTH ALONG AN ARC
Given: Line AB and an arc JF
A
SETTING OFF A GIVEN
LENGTH ALONG AN ARC
1. Find the center of the given arc
(see steps in finding the center of
an arc).
SETTING OFF A GIVEN
LENGTH ALONG AN ARC
2.
Connect the center to either of the
endpoints. Draw line perpendicular to line XF
and tangent to the given arc.
SETTING OFF A GIVEN
LENGTH ALONG AN ARC
3.
Layout the length of line AB in the tangent
line (recall steps in transferring a line). Label
the intersection as A.
A
Length of line
AB
SETTING OFF A GIVEN
LENGTH ALONG AN ARC
4. Divide line AF into four equal segments.
Label the points as 1, 2, and 3.
A
3
J
2
1
F
SETTING OFF A GIVEN
LENGTH ALONG AN ARC
4. Using point 1 as center and radius
equal to line 1A, strike an arc
intersecting the given arc. Label the
intersection as C.
J
2
1
F
SETTING OFF A GIVEN
LENGTH ALONG AN ARC
4. Arc FC is approximately equal to
line AB.
2
1
F
triangles
DRAWING AN EQUILATERAL
TRIANGLE
Given: length of the sides
A
Location of the
triangle
DRAWING AN EQUILATERAL
TRIANGLE
1. Copy the given length.
DRAWING AN EQUILATERAL
TRIANGLE
2. Using point A as center and radius
equal to the length of the given
side, draw an arc. Repeat the step,
using B as center.
Center at A
Radius equal to
AB
Center at B
Radius equal
to AB
DRAWING AN EQUILATERAL
TRIANGLE
3. Locate Point 1 where the arcs
intersect. Connect the endpoints to
Point 1.
1
DRAWING A TRIANGLE
GIVEN THE HYPOTENUSE
AND
A
GIVEN
LEG
Given: - length of one side
- length of hypothenuse
C
Hypotenuse
Location of the
triangle
DRAWING A TRIANGLE
GIVEN THE HYPOTENUSE
AND
A
GIVEN
LEG
1. Using the length of the given
hypotenuse as diameter, draw a
semi-circle.
DRAWING A TRIANGLE
GIVEN THE HYPOTENUSE
AND
A
GIVEN
LEG
2. Using one endpoint of the
hypotenuse as center and the
length of the side BC as radius,
draw an arc intersecting the semicircle at point C.
C
DRAWING A TRIANGLE
GIVEN THE HYPOTENUSE
AND
A
GIVEN
LEG
3. Connecting point C with endpoints
A and B establishes the desired
Right Triangle ABC
C
DRAWING A TRIANGLE
GIVEN THE LENGTH OF THE
THREE
SIDES
Given: length of three sides
1
1
2
Side
A
Side B
Side
C
2
3
3
Location of the
triangle
DRAWING A TRIANGLE
GIVEN THE LENGTH OF THE
THREE
SIDES
1. Layout Side A in the desired
position.
DRAWING A TRIANGLE
GIVEN THE LENGTH OF THE
THREE
SIDES
2. Using endpoint 1 of side A as center
and the length of side B as radius,
draw an arc above side A.
Center at 1
Radius equal to
side B
1
DRAWING A TRIANGLE
GIVEN THE LENGTH OF THE
THREE
SIDES
3. Using endpoint 2 of side A and the
length of side C as radius, draw a
second arc intersecting the first arc
at point 3.
3
Center at 2
Radius equal to
side C
1
DRAWING A TRIANGLE
GIVEN THE LENGTH OF THE
THREE
SIDES
4. Connecting point 3 with points 1
and 2 establishes Triangle ABC.
3
INSCRIBING A CIRCLE
INSIDE TRIANGLE
Given: Triangle ABC
INSCRIBING A CIRCLE
INSIDE TRIANGLE ABC
1. Bisect angle A by line AD extending
this beyond the middle of the
triangle.
Center at point 2
with arbitrary
radius R1
B
D
A
1
Center at point 1
with arbitrary
radius R1
INSCRIBING A CIRCLE
INSIDE TRIANGLE ABC
1. Bisect angle B by line BE
intersecting line AD at point O.
A
Center at point 3
with arbitrary
radius R2
3
B
4
Center at point 4
with arbitrary
radius R2
D O
INSCRIBING A CIRCLE
INSIDE TRIANGLE ABC
2. Draw line FG through point O
perpendicular to side AB at point H.
A
H
B
D O
INSCRIBING A CIRCLE
INSIDE TRIANGLE ABC
3. Using point O as center and radius
equal to OH, draw the desired
circle.
A
H
B
D O
CIRCUMSCRIBING A CIRCLE
AROUND TRIANGLE ABC
Given: Triangle ABC
A
CIRCUMSCRIBING A CIRCLE
AROUND TRIANGLE ABC
1. Draw a perpendicular bisector (Line
DE) to side AB.
A
D
CIRCUMSCRIBING A CIRCLE
AROUND TRIANGLE ABC
2. Draw a perpendicular bisector (Line
FH) to side BC intersecting Line
DE(first bisector) at point O.
A
CIRCUMSCRIBING A CIRCLE
AROUND TRIANGLE ABC
3. Using point O as center and OC (or
OB) as radius , draw the desired
circumscribed circle.
A
INSCRIBING AN EQUILATERAL
TRIANGLE IN A CIRCLE OF
RADIUS R
Given: Radius of circle R.
R
INSCRIBING AN EQUILATERAL
TRIANGLE IN A CIRCLE OF
RADIUS R
1. Using the given radius, draw circle O.
INSCRIBING AN EQUILATERAL
TRIANGLE IN A CIRCLE OF
RADIUS R
2. Designate any point A in the
circumference of the circle, point D
is located at the opposite end of the
diameter line.
A
INSCRIBING AN EQUILATERAL
TRIANGLE IN A CIRCLE OF
RADIUS R
3. Using point A as center and radius R
equal to the radius of the circle, draw
an arc cutting the circumference of the
circle at point B and at point C.
C
B
D
INSCRIBING AN EQUILATERAL
TRIANGLE IN A CIRCLE OF
RADIUS R
4. Connect point D to points B and C to
complete the triangle.
C
B
D
DRAWING A SQUARE WITH
SIDE AB GIVEN
Given: Length of side AB
A
Location of the
square
DRAWING A SQUARE WITH
SIDE AB GIVEN
1. Draw side AB in the desired
position. Construct line BE
perpendicular to side AB and
originating from point B.E
DRAWING A SQUARE WITH
SIDE AB GIVEN
2. Using point B as center and AB as radius,
draw an arc cutting line BE at point C.
E
C
DRAWING A SQUARE WITH
SIDE AB GIVEN
3. Using points A and C as centers and
the same radius in both operations,
draw two arcs intersecting each
E
other at point D.
D
DRAWING A SQUARE WITH
SIDE AB GIVEN
4. Connect point C to point D and
point A to point D.
E
D
DRAWING A SQUARE
INSIDE A CIRCLE
Given: Radius of circle
R
DRAWING A SQUARE
INSIDE A CIRCLE
1. Draw the circle with point E as
center. Draw line AB through point
E cutting the circle at point G and
H.
A
G
E
H
B
DRAWING A SQUARE
INSIDE A CIRCLE
2. Draw line CD perpendicular to line
AB passing through point E and
cutting the circle at points M and N.
C
A
M
G
E
H
N
D
DRAWING A SQUARE
INSIDE A CIRCLE
3. Connect points G to M, M to H, H to
N, and N to G.
C
A
G
N
D
H
B
DRAWING A RECTANGLE
Given: length of diagonal and
length of one side
Diago
nal
DRAWING A RECTANGLE
1. Draw the diagonal BD and bisect it
at point O. Using point O as center,
draw a circle passing through point
B and point D. Line BD is a
diameter.
DRAWING A RECTANGLE
2. Using points B and D as centers,
and length of side BC as radius,
draw two arcs cutting the circle at
point C and point A.
C
DRAWING A RECTANGLE
3. Connect point B to point C, C to D,
D to A, and A to B to complete the
rectangle.
C
INSCRIBING A PENTAGON
INSIDE A CIRCLE
Given: radius of the circle
INSCRIBING A PENTAGON
INSIDE A CIRCLE
1. Draw two diameters of the circle which are
perpendicular to each other, cutting the
circumference of the circle at points A, L, M, N.
A
L
R
INSCRIBING A PENTAGON
INSIDE A CIRCLE
2. Bisect radius OL at point P, from point P and
using the distance between point P and point A
as radius, draw an arc cutting radius ON at
point X.
A
O
X
P
R
INSCRIBING A PENTAGON
INSIDE A CIRCLE
3. From point A and using the distance between
point A and point X as radius, draw a second
arc cutting the circle at point B.
A
B
N
O
X
P
R
INSCRIBING A PENTAGON
INSIDE A CIRCLE
4. Draw line AB and use its length to determine
points C, D and E around the circumference of
the circle. Connect the points.
A
B
N
O
X
P
R
D
M
INSCRIBING A REGULAR
POLYGON INSIDE A GIVEN
CIRCLE
Given: radius of the circle
n (number of sides)
ex. n=6
DRAWING REGULAR
POLYGON(Method 1)
1. Draw a circle and divide its diameter, line A-B,
into n-parts (number of sides of the polygon).
Label them 1-(n-1).
DRAWING REGULAR
POLYGON(Method 1)
2. Using A (then B) as center and radius equal to
line AB, draw an arc. Where the arcs intersect,
locate point C.
C
DRAWING REGULAR
POLYGON(Method 1)
3. Draw a line connecting point C to point 2 and
extend the line. Locate point D where the
extended line intersects
the circle.
C
DRAWING REGULAR
POLYGON(Method 1)
4. Connect points A and D. Using the length of line
AD draw the other side of the polygon.
C
INSCRIBING A REGULAR
POLYGON (Method 2)
Given: length of one side
DRAWING REGULAR
POLYGON (Method 2)
1. Recall method in constructing a square
given side AB.
DRAWING REGULAR
POLYGON (Method 2)
2. Draw the diagonals of the square. Label the
intersection of the diagonal as 4. Point 4 is
the center of the circle that can inscribe a
square.
DRAWING REGULAR
POLYGON (Method 2)
3. Recall steps in constructing equilateral
triangle. Label the intersection as 6. Point 6
is the center of the circle that can inscribe a
hexagon.
DRAWING REGULAR
POLYGON (Method 2)
4. Connect point 4 and point 6. Bisect line 46.
Label the midpoint as 5. Point 5 is the
center of the circle that can inscribe a
pentagon with sides equal to AB.
6
5
4
