Constructions

Student Guide

Geometric Constructions
Euclid, a Greek mathematician known as the “Father of Geometry,” wrote the book Elements, which
recorded all of the mathematical knowledge of the time in an organized and logical fashion. Since 1482,
more than a thousand editions of Elements have been published in many languages. In fact, it was
considered to be required reading by all educated people until the twentieth century, and was still being
used as a high school textbook as recently as 1980. In Elements, Euclid used construction techniques
extensively, and so they have become a part of the geometry field of study. A compass and straightedge
are used to create constructions.

As you complete the assignment, keep this question in mind:

How can congruent segments and lengths be created with a tool with no marked measurements?
In this task, you will apply what you have learned in this lesson to answer this question.

Directions
Answer each of the following questions, reading the directions carefully as you go. Refer to the
constructions you completed in the previous assignment to help answer the questions.Type all your
responses into this document so you can submit it to your teacher for a grade. You will be given partial
credit based on the completeness and accuracy of your explanations.
Your teacher will give you further directions about how to submit your work. You may be asked to upload
the document, e-mail it to your teacher, or print it and hand in a hard copy.
Now, let’s get started!

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 Student Guide (continued)

Step 1: Copy a segment and an angle.

a) Which step in the construction of copying a line segment ensures that the new line segment has
the same length as the original line segment?

Making sure that the compass is the same width as the line segment that is being copied.

b) Explain how you could use the construction tool or a compass and straightedge to create a line
segment that is twice as long as AB.

Use the compass to copy the line segment AB then add on to the copied segment to create a line
segment that is twice as long as line segment AB.

A B

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 Student Guide (continued)

c) The construction of copying ∠ QPR is started below. The next step is to set the width of the
compass to the length of AB. How does this step ensure that the new angle will be congruent to
the original angle?

The step ensures that the original angle will be congruent because having the compass with a equal width
of the line segment creates a scale of measure which means that the angle can be created in many
places as wanted.

d) How is copying a line segment similar to copying an angle?

They are similar because they use the same idea of transferring a distance using the construction tools.

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 Student Guide (continued)

Step 2: Construct a perpendicular line.

a) In the step shown of the construction of a line through a point that is perpendicular to the given
line, why must the compass point be placed on points A and B? How would the construction be
different if the compass point were placed at random points on the original line?

The compass points should be placed on points and B because you need to
create arcs between the two points and R. Therefore if the compass was on
random points it would not be accurate to show where the perpendicular
bisector is.

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 Student Guide (continued)

Step 3: Construct an angle and a perpendicular bisector.

a) The construction of creating the perpendicular bisector of PQ is started below. How would the
construction be different if you changed the compass setting in the next step of the perpendicular
bisector construction?

The construction of the perpendicular bisector would be different in the construction with the
perpendicular bisector for example if I changed the where I put the point on the line segment the
arc created with the compass will intersect the arc but it will not make a perpendicular bisector.

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