Engineering Drawing

BME 1202
Geometric Construction

Natukunda Faith Rwakazooba

Construct a Circle
• Given points A, B, and C, draw lines AB and BC
• Draw perpendicular bisectors of AB and BC to intersect at point O
• Draw the required circle with point O as the center and radius R =
OA = OB = OC

BME 1202_Geometric Construction 2

 • Given a circle with
center point O and
tangent point P, draw
line OA from the center
of the circle to extend
beyond the circle
through point P.
• Draw a line
perpendicular to line OA
Construct Lines Tangent to at P. The perpendicular
line is the tangent line.
a Circle – Method 1
BME 1202_Geometric Construction 3
 Using a 30o -60o triangle
and a T-square
• Given a circle with center
point O and tangent point P,
place a T-square and
triangle so that you can
construct the hypotenuse of
the triangle through points P
and O.
• Hold the T-square, turn the
triangle to the second
Construct Lines Tangent to position at point P, and draw
the tangent line.
a Circle – Method 2
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 Creates lines tangent to a circle from a given point outside
Construct Lines the circle.
• Draw a circle with center point O and point P outside the
Tangent to a circle.
• Draw line OP and bisect it to locate point A
Circle – Method • Draw a circle with center A and radius R = AP = AO to
3 locate tangent points T1 and T2
• Draw lines PT1 and PT2. These lines are tangent to the
circle.
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 6
To construct a line tangent to the exterior of two circles
Construct • Draw the two given circles with centers O1 and O2 and
radii R1 and R2.
Lines Tangent • Draw a circle with center O1 and a radius R, where R
= R1 − R2.
to a Circle – • From center point O2, draw a tangent O2T to the circle
of radius.
Method 4 • Draw radius O1T as shown in Figure 5-26B, and
extend it to locate point T1.
• Draw the needed tangent T1T2 parallel to TO2

BME 1202_Geometric Construction

Construct Lines Tangent to a Circle – Method
5
To construct a line tangent to the interior of two circles
• Draw the two given circles with centers O1 and O2 and radii R1 and R2.
• Draw a circle with center O1 and a radius R, where R = R1 + R2.
• From center point O2, draw a tangent O2T to the circle of radius R.
• Draw radius O1T to locate point T1.
• Draw O2T2 parallel to O1T.
• Draw the needed tangent T1T2 parallel to TO2

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 Construct Arc Tangent to Two Straight Lines
To technique is shown for acute,
obtuse and right angles
Given lines AB and CD
• Draw lines parallel to AB and
CD at a distance R from them
on the inside of the angle. The
intersection O will be the center
of the arc you need.
• Draw perpendicular lines from
O to AB and CD to locate the
points of tangency T
• With O as the center and radius
R, draw the needed arc

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 • Draw two arcs having radii R1 and R2. The radii R1
and R2 may be equal or unequal.
Construct • Draw an arc with center O1 and radius = R + R1,
where R is the radius of the desired tangent arc.
Arc Tangent • The intersection O is the center of the tangent arc.
• Draw lines O1O and O2O to locate tangent points
to Two Arcs T1 and T2.
• With point O as the center and radius R, draw the
tangent arc needed

BME 1202_Geometric Construction 9

 Construct Arc Tangent to Line and
Arc 10
Use this method given the line, the
arc, and the radius R of the desired
tangent arc.
• Draw given line AB and arc CD
• Draw a line parallel to line AB, at
distance R, toward arc CD.
• Use radius R1 + R to locate point
O1 .
• Draw a line from O1 perpendicular
to AB to locate tangent point T.
• Draw a line from O to O1 to locate
tangent point T1 on CD.
• With point O1 as the center and
radius R, draw the tangent arc

BME 1202_Geometric Construction

Construct a Square – Method 1
When length of 1 side is known
• Given the length of the side AB, draw line
AB.
• Construct 45o diagonals from the ends of
• line AB.
• Complete the square by drawing
perpendicular lines at each end of line AB
to intersect the diagonals.
• Draw the last line from the intersection of
the diagonal and the vertical lines.
• Draw the lines in the order shown by the
numbered arrows.
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Construct a Square – Method 2
A square or other polygon is inscribed
in a circle when its four corners are
tangent to the circle.
• Draw the given circle with center
point O.
• Draw 45o diagonals through the
center point O to locate points A, B,
C, and D.
• Connect points A and B, B and C, C
and D, and D and A to complete the
square.

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 13
Regular Pentagon When the Length of One Side Is Known
• Given line AB, construct a perpendicular line AC equal to one-
half of the length of AB.
Construct a • Draw line BC and extend it to make line CD equal to AC.

Pentagon • With radius AD and points A and B as centers, draw

intersecting arcs to locate point O.
• With the same radius and O as the center, draw a circle.
• Step off AB as a chord to locate points E, F, and G. Connect
the points to complete the pentagon

BME 1202_Geometric Construction

 Inscribe a Pentagon within a Circle
• Draw the given circle with diameter AB and radius OC. The diameter of a
circle is the distance across the circle through its center point. (The symbol
for diameter is ..)
• Bisect radius OB to locate point D.
Construct a • With D as center and radius DC, draw an arc to locate point E.
Pentagon • With C as center and radius CE, draw an arc to locate point F.
• Draw chord CF. This chord is one side of the pentagon.
• Step off chord CF around the circle to locate points G, H, and J. Draw the
chords to complete the pentagon
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 15

Construct a Hexagon
When distance across the flats, or sides
is known.
• The distance across the flats is the distance
from the midpoint of one side through the
center point to the midpoint of the opposite
side of the polygon.
• Given the distance across the flats of a
regular hexagon, draw centerlines and
a circle with a diameter equal to the
distance across the flats.
• With the T-square and 30o -60o triangle,
• Draw the tangents in the order shown.

BME 1202_Geometric Construction

 Construct a Regular
Hexagon – Method 1
When the Distance across the Corners Is
Known
• The distance across the corners is the distance
from one vertex through the center point to the
opposite vertex.
• Given the distance AB across the corners,
draw a circle with AB as the diameter.
• With A and B as centers and the same
radius, draw arcs to intersect the circle at
points C, D, E, and F.
• Connect the points to complete the
hexagon.
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Construct a Regular Hexagon – Method 2
When the Distance across the
Corners Is Known
• Given the distance AB across
the corners, draw lines from
points A and B at 30o to line AB.
The lines can be any
convenient length.
• With the T-square and 30o-60o
triangle, draw the sides of the
hexagon in the order shown.

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Construct an Octagon –
Method 1
Octagon circumscribed about a
circle
Given the distance across the flats,
• Draw centerlines and a circle with
a diameter equal to the distance
across the flats.
• With the T-square and 45o
triangle, draw lines tangent to the
circle in the order shown to
complete the octagon.
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Construct an Octagon –
Method 2
Octagon inscribed within an circle
Given the distance across the
corners,
• Draw centerlines AB and CD and
a circle with a diameter equal to
the distance across the corners.
• With the T-square and 45o
triangle, draw diagonals EF and
GH.
• Connect the points to complete
the octagon
BME 1202_Geometric Construction 19
Construct an Octagon –
Method 3
Octagon inscribed in a square
• Given the distance across the
flats, construct a square having
sides equal to AB.
• Draw diagonals AD and BC with
their intersection at O. With A, B,
C, and D as centers and radius R
= AO, draw arcs to intersect the
sides of the square.
• Connect the points to complete
the octagon.
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