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