Geometric Construction

The point of geometric construction is to create different "shapes" using only a compass and straightedge.  People have been doing construction at least as far back as the ancient Greeks.

Here's a couple to get you started:

• Construct a perpendicular bisector to a given line

• Bisect a given angle

Here's some to try (in increasing difficulty):

• Construct a triangle given the three sides

• Construct an equilateral triangle given one side

• Construct a square given one side

• Construct a hexagon (hint - 6 equilateral triangles inside circle)

• Construct a circle inside a triangle (hint - bisect the angles)

• Construct a circle outside a triangle (hint - bisect the sides )

• Construct a pentagon

Pull down a work sheet

Here's some considered to be impossible:

• Trisect an angle

• Squaring the circle

• Doubling a cube

• Click here for more info

Here's some great weblinks:

• Java applet/challenge/game which lets you do constructions online