MATHS DEPARTMENT-PART 4 : GEOMETRY

Lesson 3: Geometric constructions and Loci

Bisection of an Angle
How to bisect a given angle? (Divide it into two equal parts)

1.

Start with the given angle.

2.

Draw an arc with its centre at the angular

point, and a suitable radius.

3.

Draw an arc with its centre at the

intersection of arc 2 and one leg of the
angle, and a suitable radius (more than
"halfway" the angle).

4.
Draw an arc with its centre at the
intersection of arc 2 and the other leg of
the angle, and a radius equal to that of arc
3. Arcs 3 and 4 must intersect.

5.

Draw a line from the angular point to the

intersection of arcs 3 and 4.

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Perpendicular Bisector
How to construct a line perpendicular to a given line, and dividing it into two
equal parts?

1.
Start with two points defining the
given line.
2.

Draw an arc with its centre in the

point on the right, passing through the
point on the left, and therefore with a
radius equal to line 1.

3.

Repeat this for the points exchanged.

Both arcs must intersect twice.

4.

Draw the connecting line between

both intersections of arcs 2 and 3.

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Perpendicular through a Point off a Line

How to construct a line perpendicular to a given line, passing through a given
point not on this line?
1.
Start with two points defining the
given line.
2.

Determine the given point.

3.

Draw an arc with its centre at point

2 and a suitable radius. The arc
must intersect line 1 twice at points
with a suitable distance.

4.

Draw an arc with its centre at one of

the intersections of line 1 and arc 3,
with a suitable radius.

5.

Repeat this for the other

intersection. The radius must be
equal to that of arc 4, and both arcs
must intersect at the opposite side
of line 1 relative to point 2.

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6.

Draw the line connecting point 2 to

the intersection of arcs 4 and 5.

Drawing triangles
Given two angles and a side

1) Construct ∆ABC where  BAC = 55º,  BCA = 45º and BC = 4 cm.

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Given two sides and included angle

2) Construct ∆XYZ where  XYZ = 25º, XY = 5 cm and YZ = 8 cm

Given three sides

3) Construct ∆PQR where QR = 6 cm. , QP = 8cm. , PR = 10 cm.

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Loci
The word Locus comes from the Latin for position or place its plural is Loci.

1) Find the locus of the points that are

(a) at a distance 3 cm from the point A.
(b) at distance more than 3 cm from A.

A A

(c) at a distance less than 3 cm from A .

2) Find the locus of the points that are

(a) at equal distances from A and B.
(b) nearer to A than B.

A B A B

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3) Find the locus of the points that are:

(a) equidistant from AB and AC (b) nearer to AB than AC

C
C

A B
A B

4) Find the locus of points that are at a distance:

(a) 3 cm from AB (b) less than 3 cm from AB

A B A B

(c) more than 3 cm from AB.

A B

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5) Find the locus of points that are equidistant from AB and CD.

A B

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Class work:

1) On the diagram draw accurately the locus of points inside the rectangle
which are
(a) 6 cm from D,
(b) Equidistant from AB and BC.
(c) Shade the region inside the rectangle containing points which are
more than 6 cm from D And nearer to AB than to BC

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2) On the diagram below, using a straight edge and compasses only,

construct
(a) the bisector of angle ABC,
(b) the locus of points which are equidistant from A and from B.

(c) Shade the region inside the triangle, which is nearer to A than to B
and nearer to AB than to BC.

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3)
(a) The quarter-circle below has centre O and radius 7 cm. Using a
straight edge and compasses only construct
i. the perpendicular bisector of AO,
ii. The locus of points inside the quarter-circle, which are 5 cm from
O.
iii. Shade the region, inside the quarter-circle, containing the points
which are more than 5 cm from O and nearer to A than O.

(b) The line OX bisects angle AOB and is 12 cm long.

i. Draw OX accurately.
ii. Draw accurately the tangent to the quarter-circle at A.
iii. This tangent meets the line OX at Y. Measure the length of AY.

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4)
(a) The map shows three towns, A, B and C and a road.
i) Measure and write down the distance, in centimetres, from A to B.
ii) The towns A and B are 60 kilometres apart. The map is drawn to scale.
Complete the statement in the answer space. 1 cm
represents……………….km
iii) Find the actual distance, in kilometres, from town A to town C.

(b) An airport is to be built 10 kilometres from the road.

On the map, draw accurately the locus of the points that are 10
kilometres from the road.

(c) The airport must be the same distance from A as it is from B. Using
compasses and a straight edge only, draw the locus of the points that are
equidistant from A and B.

(d) The airport must be not more than 40 kilometres from C. Draw the locus of
points that are 40 kilometres from C.

(e) Mark and label L, the position for the airport.

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5) A farmer owns a triangular field ABC. A scale diagram of this field is drawn
below. 1 centimetre represents 10 meters.

i. Complete the following statement. The side of the field, AC, is ……………..
metres long.
ii. Measure, in degrees, the angle ACB.

a. In the following parts, leave in all your construction lines. The farmer divides
the field with a fence from A to the side BC. Each point on the fence is the
same distance from AB as from AC.

i. Using a straight edge and compasses only, construct the line representing
the fence.
ii. Write down the length of this fence, in meters.

b. He puts another fence along the perpendicular bisector of the side AC. Using
a straight edge and compasses only, construct the line representing this
fence.

c. He decides to keep goats in the region of the field which is closer to AC than
to AB and closer
to A than to C. Label the region G in the field where he can keep goats.

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