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A square is a quadrilateral with four right angles and four congruent sides. Easy to draw, right? Not so fast. Drawing a perfect square requires more than just a steady hand. Learning to draw a perfect square using either a protractor or compass is a useful skill.
Steps
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Draw a side of the square using ruler. Keep track of the length of this side so you can make all four sides the same length. -
Considering the side drawn in the previous step as one of the arms, construct a right angle on each end of it. Thus the end points of the side drawn in the previous step would also be the two vertices of these right angles. [1] X Research sourceAdvertisement -
Mark a point on each of the newly drawn arms (of the two right angles), at a distance (measured from the respective vertex of the right angle) which is same as the length of the side drawn initially. [2] X Research source
- Join these two points.
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You just drew a perfect square! Erase any extraneous constructions if you so wish.
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Construct a right angle (let's name it LMN) as described here . Ensure that each of the arms are longer than the desired side length of the square. -
Place spike of the compass on the vertex of the right angle constructed in the previous step, i .e. on the point M, and set the width of the compass equal to the desired side length of the square - this set width remains unchanged until the entire construction is completed. [3] X Research source
- Draw an arc cutting the arm MN at some point (say P)
- Draw another arc to cut the arm LM at some point (say Q)
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Place the spike of the compass on point Q and draw an arc somewhere below the arm MN. [4] X Research source
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Place the spike of the compass on point P and draw another arc which cuts the arc drawn in the previous step at some point (say R). [5] X Research source
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Connect the points P and R and the points Q and R using a straightedge. [6] X Research source
- The figure PMQR is a square. You may erase other unnecessary constructions if you so wish.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do I construct a square with triangles?DonaganTop AnswererUse the triangle's 90° angle to draw a right angle. Measure from the vertex the same distance along each line you've drawn. Mark that distance on each line. Then draw a right angle vertex at each mark, and extend these new lines until they intersect at the fourth vertex.
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QuestionHow do I draw a circle that has a radius of 3.6cm?DonaganTop AnswererUse a compass. Pick a point for the circle's center. draw a straight line in any direction and measure 3.6 cm along the line from the point to another point on the line. That's a radius of the circle. Put the pivot point of the compass on that first point and the pencil lead on the second point 3.6 cm away. Inscribe a circle through that second point.
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QuestionHow do I construct square whose diagonal is 5.5 cm?DonaganTop AnswererDraw a line segment 5.5 cm long. Draw a line that bisects the first line perpendicularly. Extend the second line 2.75 cm (half of 5.5 cm) in each direction from the first line. Draw four lines connecting in turn the four ends of the line segments. That's the square.
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Things You'll Need
- Paper
- Ruler
- Protractor or Compass
- Pen or Pencil
Tips
- Do not always erase the construction lines, sometimes your teacher wants work to be shown.Thanks
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Warnings
- The spike on a regular compass is potentially a safety hazard. Don't poke people with it, throw it across the room, or do anything else that could cause injury. If you are not experienced with using one, exercise increased caution.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvXIyZIGaxA
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvXIyZIGaxA
- ↑ https://mathbitsnotebook.com/Geometry/Constructions/CCconstructionSquare.html
- ↑ https://www.mathopenref.com/constsquare.html
- ↑ https://www.mathopenref.com/constsquare.html
- ↑ https://mathbitsnotebook.com/Geometry/Constructions/CCconstructionSquare.html
About This Article
Article Summary
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To draw a square, start by drawing a straight line using a ruler. Then, measure the line so you can make the other sides of the square the same length. Next, draw a line going straight up from each end of the first line that are the same length as the first line. The angle between these lines and the first line should be 90 degrees. Finally, connect the upper ends of the 2 new lines with a straight line. If you want to learn how to draw a square using a compass, keep reading the article!
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 230,574 times.
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"It helped me to do my homework, it is also very easy."
"3,4,5, and compass both worked perfectly."
