Engineering Drawing

1st Term 1st ESO

2014/2015

Tools, Symbols and Basic Geometry

Technical drawing, also known as drafting, is the technique of creating engineering
drawings done with compasses, rulers, and computers for business and industry.

Tools
Paper
The drawing paper for technical drawings is
classified as:
Opaque paper- It can be white or coloured, but
it is opaque.
Tracing paper- It is a translucent thick paper,
suitable for leads and pens.
The most common paper sizes are:
A3- 420x297 mm
A4- 297x210 mm
A5- 210x148 mm

Pencil- Many pencils across the world, and almost all in Europe, are graded on the
European system using a continuum from H (for hardness) to B (for blackness).
The standard writing pencil is graded HB.
A set of pencils ranging from a very hard, light-marking pencil to a very soft, blackmarking pencil usually ranges from hardest to softest as follows:

9H 8H 7H 6H 5H 4H 3H 2H H F HB B 2B 3B 4B 5B 6B 7B 8B 9B
Hardest

Medium

Softest

For technical drawing the best graphite pencils

are hard ones, from 2H to 3H
Calibrated felt pens- Disposable black felt pens
come in different thicknesses. In the classroom
we are going to use 0,2 0,4 and 0,8 black felt
pens.
Rubber or Eraser: It is a correcting tool to
eliminate incorrect or extra lines. It is important
to have an appropriate eraser for technical
drawing. Harder erasers are for harder leads.
Graduated Ruler: It is a precision tool we use to
measure distances. Measurements are marked in millimeters.

Compass- It is a tool used to make arched lines and circles.

Cheap compasses tend to slip on the paper and break quite
easily. A good, quality compass set will last a life time.
How to use a compass
1st -Sharpen the
lead with sand
paper until you
get a chiseled point.
2nd The sharp point of the compass
must be slightly longer than the lead
3rd When drawing the arc or circle,
the graphite lead and the compass
point must both be perpendicular to
the paper.
4th Hold the handle of the compass
between your thumb and finger and
rotate it gently in a clockwise
direction.

A protractor is used to measure angles. A

typical protractor is a semi-circular piece of
plastic with 180 degrees printed around its
curve. This piece of equipment is not only

used in graphics for constructing accurate drawings but is also used in subjects like
Mathematics.

Set Squares are used to draw accurate angles,

parallel and perpendicular lines. They are called
the 60 degree or the 45 degree triangle.

TRIANGULAR SET OF SQUARES

The triangular set of squares consists of two triangles:
the 45 set square, and the 60 set square.
THE 45 SET SQUARE is a right isosceles triangle.
The legs make a 90 angle and its hypotenuse forms a
45 angle with each leg.
THE 60 SET SQUARE is a right scalene triangle. The legs make a 90 angle and
its hypotenuse forms a 30 angle with the bigger leg and a 60 angle with the other.
The 45 and 60 triangular set squares form a set when the longest side of the 60
triangle is the same as the hypotenuse of the 45 triangle.

DRAWING STRAIGHT PARALLEL AND PERPENDICULAR LINES:

See how the triangles are placed to draw exactly parallel, horizontal lines and
exactly parallel, vertical lines. As you can see, the vertical lines are also
perpendicular to the horizontal ones.

Symbols and lines

Symbol

Symbol Name Meaning / definition

Example

angle

formed by two rays ABC = 30

right angle

= 90

= 90

degree

1 turn = 360

= 60

t,r,s..

AE

Straight line

segment

Points

|
||
>
<

A line is oneA line is uniquely

dimensional. That determined by two
is, a line has
points.
length, but no
width or height. In
geometry, a line
extends forever in
both directions.
A line segment
connects two
endpoints. A line
segment with two
endpoints A and B
is denoted by

A point has no
length, width, or
height - it just
specifies an exact
location. It is zerodimensional.

In geometry we usually
identify this point with
a number or letter.

perpendicular

perpendicular lines
AC |
(90 angle)

parallel

parallel lines

Greater than
Less than

AB || CD
>

Pairs of lines can relate to each other in four different ways: intersecting lines,
parallel lines, perpendicular lines and skew lines. These concepts are useful for
understanding and solving various geometry problems.
Intersecting Lines
Intersecting lines are lines that meet at a point. When two lines intersect, they
define angles at the point of intersection.

at point C

Parallel Lines
Parallel lines are lines that never intersect. The distance between the two lines is
fixed and the two lines are going in the same direction.

Two parallel lines

can be written as

Perpendicular Lines
Perpendicular lines are lines that intersect at one point and form a 90 angle.

Two perpendicular lines

can be written as

Skew Lines
The above relationships between lines take place on the same plane. However,
skew lines only happen in space. Skew lines never intersect because they are not
on the same plane. Skew lines are difficult to draw because they exist in the three
dimensional space. Lets consider a cube.

Imagine the lines

running
along the edges of a cube as shown,
and line
running on the front
surface of the cube.
They are lines in different planes
and will never intersect.
To watch a video with the explanation go to:
http://www.onlinemathlearning.com/pairs-of-lines.html
THE CIRCUMFERENCE
Formally, a circumference is defined as the locus of points from the plane
equidistant to another point, called the center of the circumference.
We must never confuse the concept of a circle with the concept of circumference,
circumference is actually a curve that encloses a circle (the circumference is a
curve, the circle is an area.)
Basic Elements of the Circumference

chord

Diameter

Here you can see all the elements

we are going to introduce.

- Center : center point that is equidistant to all points belonging to the

circumference.
- Radius: line connecting the center with any point belonging to the circumference.
- Chord: line connecting any two points of the circumference.
- Diameter: longer string connecting two points of the circumference. There are
infinite diameters and all pass through the center of the circumference.

- Secant line: line that cuts through any two points of the circumference.
- Tangent line: line touching the circle at just one point and perpendicular to a
radius.

Basic Geometry Constructions

Construct the perpendicular bisector of a line segment.
Or, construct the midpoint of a line segment.
1. Begin with line segment XY.
2. Place the compass at point X. Adjust the compass
radius so that it is more than (1/2)XY. Draw two arcs as
shown here.

3. Without changing the compass radius, place the

compass on point Y. Draw two arcs intersecting the
previously drawn arcs. Label the intersection points
A and B.

4. Using the straightedge, draw line AB. Label the

intersection point M. Point M is the midpoint of line
segment XY, and line AB is perpendicular to line
segment XY.

Given point P on line k, construct a line through P, perpendicular to k.

1. Begin with line k, containing point P.

2. Place the compass on point P. Using an arbitrary

radius, draw arcs intersecting line k at two points.
Label the intersection points X and Y.

3. Place the compass at point X. Adjust the compass

radius so that it is more than (1/2)XY. Draw an arc as
shown here.
4. Without changing the compass radius, place the
compass on point Y. Draw an arc intersecting the
previously drawn arc. Label the intersection point A.
5. Use the straightedge to draw line AP. Line AP is
perpendicular to line k.

Given point R, not on line k, construct a line through R, perpendicular to k.

1. Begin with point line k and point R, not on the line.
2. Place the compass on point R. Using an arbitrary
radius, draw arcs intersecting line k at two points.
Label the intersection points X and Y.
3. Place the compass at point X. Adjust the compass
radius so that it is more than (1/2)XY. Draw an arc as
shown here.

4. Without changing the compass radius, place the

compass on point Y. Draw an arc intersecting the
previously drawn arc. Label the intersection point B.

5. Use the straightedge to draw line RB. Line RB is

perpendicular to line k.

Angles
An angle is the part of a plane defined by two straight lines that cross at the same
point called vertex (V). There are different ways to label an angle. The one we are
going to use is a capiltal letter with a little angle on top of it. Example: .
Angles are measured using a sexagesimal system. Using degrees(o), minutes () and
seconds().
Two equal angles are called congruent angles.

ANGLE BISECTOR
The angle bisector is a ray that divides the angle into two smaller angles with
equal measure.
CONSTRUCTION

How to copy an angle with the compass:

This process involves drawing an angle given
upon a line r starting from point A.
Draw a line r and placing your compass on the
vertex of the angle given draw an arc. Label the
two points of intersection between the sides of
the angle and the arc. (B and C)
1. Draw the same arc upon line r placing
your compass on point A. This will
give you point B.
2. With your compass on B measure the
distance between B and C and make a
mark. Then go to point B and draw
an arc with the same width BC. This
will give you point C.
3. Join point A and C` and you will have
drawn an equal angle.

Triangles
-A triangle has three sides and three angles
-The three angles always add to 180
Equilateral, Isosceles and Scalene
There are three special names given to triangles that tell how many sides (or
angles) are equal. There can be 3, 2 or no equal sides/angles:

Equilateral Triangle
Three equal sides
Three equal angles, always 60

Isosceles Triangle
Two equal sides
Two equal angles

Scalene Triangle No equal sides

No equal angles

What Type of angle?

Triangles can also have names that tell you what type of angle is inside:

Acute Triangle
All angles are less than 90

Right Triangle
Has a right angle (90)

Obtuse Triangle
Has an angle more than 90

Combining the Names

Sometimes a triangle will have two names, for example:

Right Isosceles Triangle

Has a right angle (90), and also two equal angles
Can you guess what the equal angles are?

Constructing a Triangle given Three Sides

Using a ruler and compass, construct a triangle ABC with AB = 3 cm, BC = 4 cm
and AC = 5 cm.
Solution:
Step 1: Draw a line, AB, 3 cm long.
Step 2: Draw an arc of radius 4 cm with B as the centre.

Step 3: Draw an arc of radius 5 cm with A as the centre to cut the arc drawn in
Step 2 at C.
Step 4: Join, C, the point of intersection of the two arcs to the points A and B.
Step 5: Erase the arcs to obtain the required triangle ABC.

REGULAR POLYGONS
INTRODUCTION:
A POLYGON is a closed, flat surface with strait sides. We can classify then
according to shape:
Equilateral polygon: This is a polygon whose sides are all the same length.
Equiangular polygon: This is a polygon whose angles are all the same size.
Regular polygon: This is a polygon with equal sides and angles.
Irregular polygon: This is a polygon whose sides and angles are not equal.
Inscribed polygon: This is a polygon that is inside a circumference. In other
words, its vertex angles are in contact with the circumference and the centre
of the polygon is also the centre of the circumference.
Circumscribed polygon: This is a polygon whose sides are tangent to a
circumference. This means that the circumference must be inscribed inside
the polygon.
Star polygon: This is a polygon whose angles alternate outwards and inwards
and whose sides form a closed, continuous interrupted line.

HOW TO INSCRIBE POLYGONS IN A CIRCUMFERENCE:

Inscribing an EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE in a Circumference:
1. Draw a circumference with the given radius and the centre at O.

2. Draw the diameter, AP, of the circumference. With your compass on one of
the endpoints (for example at point P), open it to the width of the
circumferences radius
and draw an arc that
intersects it at points B
and C.
3.
Join points A, B
and C to get the triangle
we are looking for.

Inscribing a SQUARE in a Circumference:

1.
Draw a circumference with the
given radius (r). Draw two diameters that
are perpendicular to each other to
intersect the circumference, giving us the
four vertex A, B, C and D.
2.
Join these points to make the
polygon.

Inscribing a PENTAGON in a Circumference:

1. Draw a circumference with the given radius and the centre on point O. Next
draw two perpendicular diameters (MN) and (PJ).
2. With your compass on point J, open to the width of the circumferences
radius and draw an arc that intersects it at points 1 and 2. Join these two points
to get point H along radius OJ.
3. With your compass on point H, open to the length of the radius of HM and
draw an arc until it intersects radius PO at point G. Segment MG is one of the
sides of the pentagon.
4. Now starting at point M, open your compass to the length of MG and
construct this length onto the circumference, giving us in this way, the vertex of
our polygon (points A, B,C and D). We get our pentagon by joining all these
vertexes.

Inscribing a HEXAGON in a Circumference:

The hexagon is the only regular polygon whose sides are equal to the radius of the
circumference circumscribing it.
1.
Draw the circumference of radius r and diameter AD.
2.
With your compass at point A, open it to the radius of AO and draw
an arc that intersects the circumference at points B and F.

3.
Place your compass at point D, open it to the radius of DO and draw
and arc that intersects the circumference at points E and C.
4.
Join these points to get our hexagon.

Inscribing a HEPTAGON in a Circumference:

1.
Draw the circumference with the given
radius and point O as its centre.

2.
The first steps in drawing a heptagon
are the same for drawing an equilateral
triangle to get points M and N.

3.
We join M and N, and half of its length
JM is equal to the heptagons sides.

4.
Use the length of JM seven times
around the circumference with your compass to
get the vertex of our polygon.

Inscribing an OCTAGON in a Circumference:

It is so easy to draw an inscribed octagon that you can follow the steps shown in
the illustration:

A star

polygon is a non-convex polygon which looks in some way like a star.

We can create different starts connecting the alternative vertexes of any regular
polygon.
A six-pointed star, like a hexagon, can be created
using a compass and a straight edge:
Make a circle of any size with the compass.
Without changing the radius of the compass,
set its pivot on the circle's circumference, and find
one of the two points where a new circle would
intersect the first circle.

With the pivot on the last point found,

similarly find a third point on the circumference, and
repeat until six such points have been marked.
With a straight edge, join alternate points on the circumference to form two
overlapping equilateral triangles.

Approximate Division of a Circle into Equal Parts (General Instructions)

You are given a circle with the center point of O.
1. Divide diameter AL into as many equal parts as you are going to divide the
circumference, using Thales Theorem. The example drawn below is down in
11 equal parts.
2. Open the compass so its points are on A and L, the endpoints of the
diameter, and draw two arcs. The arcs should have a radius equal in length
to the diameter. Label the point where they intersect M.
3. Draw a ray from point M through point 2 on line AL and intersects the
circle on the other side. This intersection becomes point B.

4. Use the compass to measure between points A and B. Use this

measurement to draw points C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, and K. Connect points A
through K to draw the polygon.