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CHAPTER 14

Geometric constructions
In this chapter you will learn how to:
• construct triangles from given information
• carry out standard compass constructions on line segments
• solve geometric problems, including the use of bearings.
You will also be challenged to:
• investigate perspective.

Starter: Round and round in circles

Use a sharp pencil, compasses and straight edge to make this drawing.

You may want to colour the diagram after you have made it.

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Here are some ideas:

Now try designing your own circle patterns.

14.1 Constructing triangles from given information

Surveyors often use a method called triangulation to measure distances. The
idea is to measure some combination of angles and distances, and then use them
to reconstruct a triangle whose vertex is at the place being surveyed. In fact,
many mountaintops in the UK have concrete blocks, or triangulation points,
that have been used in this way.

There are several different ways of constructing triangles, depending on the

information you are given about them.

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1. To construct a triangle, given two sides and the angle in

between them (SAS, or side–angle–side)
EXAMPLE
A triangle PQR has side PQ  9 cm, PR  5 cm and angle QPR  55°.
Make an accurate construction of this triangle.
R

Diagram not
5 cm to scale

55°
P 9 cm Q

SOLUTION
Begin by using your ruler to draw a line segment of length 9 cm, and label the
ends P and Q. Then use your protractor to measure an angle of 55° at P.

55°
P 9 cm Q

Next, measure a length of 5 cm along the line from P, to locate the point R.

5 cm

55°
P 9 cm Q

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Finally, complete the construction by joining R and Q.

5 cm

55°
P 9 cm Q

A different procedure is used when you know two angles and an included side.

2. To construct a triangle, given two angles and the side in

between them (ASA, or angle–side–angle)
EXAMPLE
A triangle ABC has side AB  8 cm, angle BAC  40° and angle ABC  70°.
Make an accurate construction of this triangle.
C

Diagram not
to scale

40° 70°
A 8 cm B

SOLUTION
Begin by constructing a line segment AB, of length 8 cm, and add a line from A
at an angle of 40°, using your protractor to measure this angle.

40°
A 8 cm B

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Next, draw a line at an angle of 70° from B.

C

70°
40°
A 8 cm B
These two lines must intersect at C, so the diagram may be completed:
C

70°
40°
A 8 cm B

You may be given the values of all three sides but no angles at all. A protractor
is now of no use, and you need compasses instead.

3. To construct a triangle, given three sides (SSS, or

side–side–side)
EXAMPLE
A triangle LMN has sides LM  6 cm, LN  7 cm and MN  8 cm.
Make an accurate construction of this triangle.
N

Diagram not
7 cm 8 cm to scale

L 6 cm M

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SOLUTION
Begin by constructing a line segment LM, of length 6 cm.

L 6 cm M

Next, draw an arc of radius 7 cm from L, and another of radius 8 cm from M.

L 6 cm M

These arcs must intersect at N, so the construction can be completed.

8 cm
7 cm

L 6 cm M

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A more confusing scenario is encountered when you are given the values of two
sides, and an angle that is not included between them. The construction may be
ambiguous, or even impossible!

4. To construct a triangle, given two sides and an angle not

between them (SSA, or side–side–angle)
EXAMPLE
In triangle ABC you are given that AB  7 cm, BC  5 cm and angle CAB  40°.
Construct an accurate drawing of this triangle, and show that there are two
different solutions based in the given information.

SOLUTION
Begin by drawing a line
segment AB of length 7 cm,
and construct a line from A
at an angle of 40°.

40°
A 7 cm B

Now open your compasses to a radius of 5 cm, and draw an arc centred on B.

40°
A 7 cm B

This arc intersects the original line from A in two distinct places, so there are
two different ways of completing the construction.

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Two possibilities, i.e.

ambiguous
5 cm
C

5 cm

40° 40°
A 7 cm B A 7 cm B

The following exercise gives you some practice at making accurate drawings of
triangles. Make sure you leave your construction lines visible, so that your
teacher can follow your methods clearly.

EXERCISE 14.1
Make accurate drawings of these triangles, stating which of the various combinations of information you have
been given – SAS, ASA, SSS or SSA. If any triangles are ambiguous, draw both possibilities.

1 Draw triangle PQR with PQ  8 cm, PR  9 cm, angle QPR  65°.

2 Draw triangle KLM with KL  5 cm, angle MKL  80°, angle KLM  56°.

3 Draw triangle ABC with AB  6 cm, AC  5 cm, angle BAC  130°.

4 Draw triangle RST with RT  7.5 cm, RS  8.5 cm, angle RTS  90°.

5 Draw triangle PQR with PQ  8 cm, PR  7.5 cm, angle PQR  62°.

6 Draw triangle FGH with HG  8 cm, HF  10 cm, FG  6 cm.

7 The sketch shows a triangle with AB  85 mm, BC  55 mm, AC  70 mm.

C
Diagram not
70 mm accurately drawn
55 mm

A 85 mm B
Make an accurate diagram of the triangle.

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8 The sketch shows a triangle with AB  75 mm, AC  70 mm and angle ACB  90°.
C
Diagram not
70 mm accurately drawn

A 75 mm B
Make an accurate diagram of the triangle.

9 Using compasses, try to make an accurate drawing of triangle PQR with sides PQ  10 cm, QR  5 cm,
RP  4 cm. What difficulty do you encounter? Explain why this arises.

10 Triangle JKL is to be constructed with JK  8 cm, KL  6.5 cm and angle LJK  45°.
a) Try making an accurate construction of this triangle.
b) What difficulty do you encounter?

14.2 Constructions with line segments

There are three fundamental geometrical constructions that you need to master.
Exam questions will expect you to do these with compasses and a straight edge,
not with measuring equipment, such as protractors, and ruler measurements
would not be permitted. You should leave any construction lines plainly visible.

1. To bisect a given angle

EXAMPLE
Use ruler and compasses to
construct the angle bisector of
the angle Q shown in the
diagram.

SOLUTION Using compasses, draw an arc with centre Q, so it

cuts one of the original lines. Call this point P.

Without changing the compass setting, construct a

second arc with centre Q, to cut the other line at R.

Q R

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Next, construct two further arcs, centres

P and R, to cut here. Once again, do not
change the compass setting.
P

Q R

P
Finally, complete the construction by
drawing a straight line from Q to the
point of intersection here.
The original angle at Q has now been
divided into two equal parts – it has been
bisected.
Q R

2. To construct the perpendicular bisector of a given line segment

EXAMPLE
Use straight edge and compasses to construct the perpendicular bisector of the
line segment shown in the diagram.

K L

SOLUTION
Open the compasses
to more than half the
distance from K to L. … and from L, construct these two.
From K, construct
these two arcs …

K L

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Now use a straight edge to

complete the construction.

K L

3. To construct a perpendicular from a point on a given line

segment
EXAMPLE
Use straight edge and compasses to draw a line from P perpendicular to the line
segment AB shown below.

A P B

SOLUTION
First, use compasses to draw two arcs at equal distances on opposite sides of P.
Label X and Y where these arcs cut the line AB.

A X P Y B

Now complete the solution by constructing the perpendicular bisector of XY,

using method 2 from above.

A X P Y B

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EXERCISE 14.2
1 Use ruler and compasses to construct the perpendicular bisector of the line segment PQ (PQ is 8 cm long).
P Q

2 Use ruler and compasses to construct the bisector of angle ABC.

A

B
C

3 Use ruler and compasses to construct a line passing through X, perpendicular to the line PQ.

P X Q

4 Use ruler and compasses to construct the bisector of angle LMN.

L

M
N

5 Use ruler and compasses to construct the perpendicular bisector of the line segment AB (AB is 6 cm long).
B

6 Use ruler and compasses to construct a line passing through X, perpendicular to the line PQ.

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7 Using compasses and a straight edge, construct an angle of exactly 30°.

Hint: Draw a line segment about 7 or 8 centimetres long – the exact length is unimportant. Then use
compasses and a straight edge to construct an equilateral triangle, using this segment as one side of the
triangle. Finally, take one of the angles and bisect it.

8 Using compasses and a straight edge, construct an angle of exactly 45°.

Hint: Make a right angle (e.g. by constructing a perpendicular bisector of a line segment) and then bisect it.

14.3 Bearings
Examination questions may use bearings to describe direction.
Here is a reminder of how bearings are used:
• North is taken as the zero angle: 000°.
• Bearings are measured as angles clockwise from North.
• Thus East  090°, South  180° and West  270°.

60°
50°

10°

Bearing of 060° Bearing of 170° Bearing of 230°

You will have an opportunity to practise using bearings in some of these problems.

REVIEW EXERCISE 14
Diagram not
1 B is 5 km North of A. North C accurately drawn
4 km
C is 4 km from B. B
C is 7 km from A.

5 km 7 km

a) Make an accurate scale drawing of triangle ABC. Use a scale of 1 cm to 1 km.

b) From your accurate scale drawing, measure the bearing of C from A.
c) Find the bearing of A from C. [Edexcel]

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2 ABCD is a quadrilateral.
AB  6 cm, AC  9 cm, BC  5 cm.
Angle BAD  66°.
AD  3.5 cm.
Starting with the line AB, make an accurate drawing of the quadrilateral ABCD. [Edexcel]

3 Here is a sketch of a triangle.

Diagram not
accurately drawn
8m 9m

12 m
The lengths of the sides of the triangle are 8 m, 9 m and 12 m.
Use a scale of 1 cm to 2 m to make an accurate scale drawing of the triangle. [Edexcel]

4 A map is drawn to a scale of 1 : 25 000

Two schools A and B are 12 centimetres apart on the map.
a) Work out the actual distance from A to B. Give your answer in kilometres.
B is due East of A. C is another school. The bearing of C from A is 064°. The bearing of C from B is 312°.
b) Copy and complete the scale drawing below.
Mark with a cross () the position of the school C.
N

A B [Edexcel]

5 Here is a sketch of a triangle.

5.7 cm 4.2 cm

6.3 cm
Use ruler and compasses to construct this triangle accurately.
You must show all construction lines. [Edexcel]

6 Use ruler and compasses to construct the perpendicular to the line segment AB that passes through the
point P. You must show all construction lines.
B

[Edexcel]
A

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7 The diagram shows a sketch of triangle ABC.

B
Diagram not
accurately drawn

7.3 cm

38°
A 8 cm C

a) Make an accurate drawing of triangle ABC.

b) Measure the size of angle A on your diagram. [Edexcel]

8 The diagram shows the position of each of three buildings in a town.

Diagram not
N accurately drawn

N
Hospital
Cinema

72°
Art
gallery

The bearing of the Hospital from the Art gallery is 072°.

The Cinema is due East of the Hospital.
The distance from the Hospital to the Art gallery is equal to the distance from the
Hospital to the Cinema.
Work out the bearing of the Cinema from the Art gallery. [Edexcel]

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KEY POINTS
1 Accurate drawings of triangles may be made with geometrical instruments,
provided you are given information about:
• Two sides and an included angle (SAS)
• Two angles and an included side (ASA)
• All three sides (SSS).
2 You can also construct a unique triangle give two sides and a non-included angle,
provided the angle is a right angle. If the non-included angle is not a right angle
then the information can be ambiguous, which means that two different solutions
might be possible (SSA).
3 The examination may ask you to carry out standard geometrical constructions on
line segments. In particular you must know how to:
• Bisect a given angle
• Bisect a given line
• Construct a perpendicular at a point on a line segment.
4 You might be asked to use these constructions in order to make an angle of 30°
(construct an equilateral triangle and then bisect one of its angles) or 45°
(construct a right angle and bisect it).

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Internet Challenge 14 
In perspective
The diagram shows a perspective drawing of two buildings near a crossroads.
Both buildings are cuboids.
Building A is 10 metres tall.
Can you tell whether Building B is taller or less tall than Building A?

Use the internet to find out how perspective drawings are made. Your search terms might include horizon,
vanishing point and two dimensions. Once you understand how vanishing points work, you should be able
to add some construction lines to a copy of the diagram. Then use your construction to help you to:
• decide which building is taller
• estimate the height of Building B.
You can find out more about the history of perspective in art by using the internet to search for material
about Brunelleschi.

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