Hands On Geometry

© Prufrock Press Inc.
Prepared Exclusively for Beth Fawley, 03/04/2011

© Prufrock Press Inc. Prepared Exclusively for Beth Fawley, 03/04/2011
Christopher M. Freeman
Prufrock Press Inc.

W a c o , Te x a s

Copyright ©2010 Prufrock Press Inc.
Edited by Jennifer Robins

Production Design by Marjorie Parker
ISBN-13: 978-1-59363-555-8
ISBN-10: 1-59363-555-9
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Dedication
This book is dedicated to my wife, Maria, with gratitude for her
tireless support and confidence, and to our children, all of whom
love constructions: to Clara, whose eagerness with the first lessons
convinced me of their value; to Edward, who liked constructions so
well, he took his compass with him on vacation; and to John, who
someday will draw his constructions in the finished book.

Contents
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x
Chapter 1: Lines and Arcs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Chapter 2: Kites and Basic Constructions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Chapter 3: Centers of a Triangle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Chapter 4: Perpendiculars and Rectangles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Chapter 5: Parallels and Parallelograms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Chapter 6: Constructing Triangles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Chapter 7: The Infinitesimal and the Golden Ratio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
vii
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Hanna Goldschmidt, mentor, colleague, and friend, under
whose direction I first taught geometry; to Bobbi Nelson, fellow geometry
teacher, who eagerly adopted these lessons into her classes, made valuable
suggestions, and encouraged me to write more; to Paul Gunty, Shirley
Holbrook, and all of my colleagues for their ideas and inspiration; to Joan
Franklin Smutny, Director of the Center for Gifted at National-Louis
University, for her perennial encouragement; to Gretchen Sparling and
Jennifer Robins at Prufrock Press for their excellent suggestions; and to the
hundreds of children in the “Worlds of Wisdom and Wonder” programs
and at The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools who enjoyed these
lessons and helped me improve them.
ix
Introduction
The lessons in Hands-On Geometry were written for gifted students in
grades 4–6. Older students also enjoy them, and they provide a kinesthetic
supplement for a high school geometry class. Students of all ages enjoy
using their own hands to draw precise constructions with the simple
compass and straightedge tools that have been used for thousands of years.
I have tested these lessons in my own classes, revising and clarifying
the step-by-step directions and sample diagrams so that students can work
independently. The lessons may be assigned to a whole group or given to an
individual student; students may work on them during class or at home. The
completed constructions can be assessed at a glance.
Materials Needed
I provide a 6-inch clear plastic ruler and a compass for each student to
use during class. Make sure the compass pencils are sharp. I recommend
that each student purchase a higher quality compass for his or her own use
(these usually cost about $10). They should choose a compass that is easy to
adjust but will maintain a constant radius while drawing. My own compass
has lasted 25 years of frequent use.
Classroom Management
I make separate photocopies of each lesson and keep them readily at hand
so each student can work independently, turn in a finished construction, and
pick up the next lesson.
On the first day of instruction, it is important to demonstrate proper
technique. I gather students around me and show them how to draw a
circle:
• Hold the compass at the top, not by the pencil.
• Use the other hand to press the sharp point against the paper.
• Lean the compass in the direction that you will move it, so that the
pencil glides over the ridges in the paper rather than jamming into
them.
• Draw light, thin arcs, which are more precise than dark, thick ones.
I also demonstrate how to connect two points with a straight line, which is
not at all trivial for many students.
• First, sharpen the pencil!
• Slide the straightedge so that it is precisely adjacent to the two points,
and hold it in place with one hand.
• Put the pencil tip in the center of one of the points.
x
• Tilt the pencil so it rests against the straightedge; adjust the straightedge
if necessary.
• Lean the pencil in the direction that you will move it (as if it were a
paintbrush), and be sure that the line goes right through the center of
both points.
These skills are fundamental, and students are eager to master them.
After the first day, students can work at their own pace, lesson by lesson.
As promptly as I can, I check each construction for correct procedure and
precision, and I work with individual students to correct any incorrect
techniques. I set high standards for precision, sometimes even erasing
student work and requiring it to be done again. Students of all ages take
great pride in their work well done. I give each lesson a grade of √, +, or
++ (one plus for correct procedure, one for precision). Students strive a
little harder to receive two plusses! I ask students to color the petals in
their regular octagon construction, Lesson 2.7, and some students enjoy
decorating their dodecagon into a clock in Lesson 2.8; I display these on a
bulletin board.
Learning Objectives
In Chapter 1, students practice the technique of using a compass and

straightedge, constructing an equilateral triangle, concentric circles, and a
regular hexagon.
In Chapter 2, students justify the basic constructions with properties
of kites: The main diagonal of a kite is perpendicular to the other diagonal,
bisects the other diagonal, and bisects the vertex angle. Hence, to construct
a perpendicular, a midpoint, or an angle bisector, we create an appropriate
kite. Students use these procedures to construct a square, a regular octagon,
and a regular dodecagon.
In Chapter 3, students construct the altitudes, angle bisectors,
perpendicular bisectors, and medians of a triangle, which are concurrent at
the orthocenter, incenter, circumcenter, and centroid. They also construct
the inscribed and circumscribed circles of a triangle, and they construct
their centroid on cardboard, cut out the triangle, and balance it on the sharp
point of their compass.
In Chapter 4, students use perpendiculars to construct parallel lines,
rectangles, and a square, and they formulate conjectures about the properties
of rectangles and their diagonals.
In Chapter 5, students use oblique lines to construct a parallelogram;
students formulate conjectures about the properties of parallelograms
and use these properties to find three different methods of constructing
parallelograms.
In Chapter 6, students use three given sides, two angles and the included
side, or two sides and the included angle to construct unique triangles; these
xi
constructions establish the logical basis for using SSS, ASA, and SAS to
prove triangles congruent.
In Chapter 7, students peer into the infinitesimal by connecting the
midpoints of a quadrilateral in successive iterations; they also construct a
golden rectangle and a regular pentagon.
NCTM Standards
The activities in Hands-On Geometry are aligned with national education

standards set by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
(NCTM).
Geometry Standard 1 expects all students to analyze various geometric
shapes, to formulate conjectures about their characteristic properties, and
to reason logically to justify these conjectures. Every construction activity
in this book fulfills this standard. Constructions provide a purpose for
geometric inquiry: When a student understands the properties of a figure,
he or she can use those properties to construct it correctly.
Geometry Standard 4 expects students to construct geometric figures
using a variety of tools. It is to be hoped that every geometry student has
the opportunity to use computer software for constructing geometric
figures, such as The Geometer’s Sketchpad or Cabri. My own geometry
students use computers extensively in class. But I have found that students
find it even more satisfying to draw their constructions by hand.
The NCTM Focal Points emphasize that elementary school students
need to develop geometric intuition in math class through drawing and
analyzing two-dimensional figures; this is precisely what the lessons in
Hands-On Geometry accomplish.
A Final Word
Hundreds of my own students have loved these construction activities. I

have written this book in hopes that you and your students will enjoy them
too.
xii
Chapter 1:
Lines and Arcs
1
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Introduction: The Straightedge and Compass Tools

For more than 2,000 years, mathematicians have used two basic tools to construct
geometric figures: a compass to draw circles, and a straightedge to draw lines. With these
simple tools, you will learn to construct triangles, hexagons, squares, kites, perpendicular
lines, parallel lines, and lots of other figures.
A compass has a sharp point at one end to hold it steady at the center of the circle,
and it has a pencil point at the other end to draw the circle. The distance between the
sharp point and the pencil point is called the radius. You will use a compass to draw
circles and arcs. To draw a straight line, you will pull a pencil tip along a straightedge. A
straightedge is different from a ruler, because a straightedge has no marks on it. If you use
a ruler, you should ignore the inch or centimeter markings. To measure length, you will
use the radius of the compass.
© Prufrock Press Inc. • Hands-On Geometry: Constructions With a Straightedge and Compass
Permission is granted to photocopy or reproduce this page for single classroom use only.
2
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 1.1
Construct a Circle by Center and Point
A point is a location. We often represent a point with a dot (.), but
any dot is really too big because the point is at the center of the dot.
We name points with capital letters, like points C and P below.
One way to construct a circle starts with one point that will be
its center and another point that will be on the circle. Follow the C P
directions below to construct the circle with center C and passing
through P. Your construction will look like the picture to the right.
1. Put the sharp point of the compass onto C and hold it there.
2. Adjust the compass radius so that the pencil point rests gently on the point P.
3. Hold the compass at its top, not by the pencil
4. Lean the compass slightly in the direction you want to draw.
5. Start drawing the circle through P; if the curve doesn’t go exactly through the
center of point P, adjust the radius and start again.
6. Lightly draw the circle with your compass.
C P
3
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 1.2
Construct a Line and an Equilateral Triangle
A basic postulate of geometry is that two points determine a line. In practice, drawing this
line is not as trivial as it may sound. If you work carefully, your construction will look like
the picture below. Follow the directions below to construct a line.
P Q
1. Place your straightedge just under the two points P and Q below. Hold it steady.
2. As you pull your pencil along the straightedge, make sure that the pencil tip goes
through the center of each point. If not, change the angle of your pencil, or adjust
your straightedge. Be precise! Make sure your pencil is sharp.
3. Draw an arrowhead at each end of your line.
P Q
The arrowheads indicate that lines go on forever in both directions.

"$$$# We name a line
using any two points on it with a line symbol above them, such as !PQ . The piece of a
line between two endpoints (like P and Q above) is called a line segment, or segment
for short. We name a segment using its two endpoints with a bar on top, such as PQ .
Segments don’t go on forever, they end at their endpoints.
4
Lesson 1.2, Continued
C
Now you will construct an equilateral triangle, in
which all three sides are segments of equal length. Your
construction will look like the picture to the right.
1. Use your straightedge to construct the line segment A B
AB.
2. Construct a circle with center A and passing through
B.
3. Construct another circle with center B and passing
through A.
4. Locate a point where the two circles intersect and label it C. (You don’t need to
draw a dot because the location where two circles cross is a point.)
5. Use your straightedge to construct segments AC and BC. You now have
equilateral ∆ ABC!
A B
5
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 1.3
Draw an Arc and Copy a Segment
Just as a segment is a piece of a line, an arc is a piece of a circle.
Which point, A, B, or C, is the center of the arc shown below? __________
A B C
To check your answer, put the sharp point of your compass on A, adjust your radius,
and try to draw the arc. Then put the sharp point on B and try to draw the arc. Then
repeat using point C. (Was your answer correct?)
To copy a segment means to make another segment with the same length. Don’t use a
ruler to measure length—use the radius of your compass! When you follow the directions
below, you will construct a copy of segment EF, called PQ . Your construction will look
like this picture:
E F
m
P Q
Use segment EF and line m, below.
1. Anywhere on the line m, mark a tiny dot and label it P.
2. Put the sharp point of your compass on E, and adjust the radius so you can draw a
short arc through F.
3. Don’t change the radius, but move the sharp point to P and draw a short arc that
crosses line m.
4. Label the point where the arc crosses the line, Q.
5. PQ is a copy of EF, because it has the same length.
E F
When we name a segment, we put a bar on top, as with PQ . When we refer to the
length of a segment, we don’t put a bar on top. Thus “PQ” means the length of PQ ,
which is the distance from P to Q. Because PQ and EF are numbers, we can write
PQ = EF to mean that the segments have the same length.
6
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 1.4
Construct Equally Spaced Concentric Circles
Concentric circles have the same center. If they are equally spaced, they
will look like a target, as shown$ $#to the right. To construct these circles,
#
we don’t need the entire line !CD, we just need the part of the line that
C D E F
starts at C and extends to the right through D and beyond. A part of a
line that has one endpoint but extends infinitely far in the other direction
is called a ray. Rays are named with the endpoint first, some other point
on the ray second, and a ray symbol on top. The ray we need $$#for the
construction of the following concentric circles is named ! . CD
Follow the directions below to construct equally $$#spaced concentric circles.
1. Use your straightedge to construct the ray !CD, starting at C and passing through
D and beyond to the edge of the page.
2. Draw the circle with center C and passing through D.
3. Keeping the radius CD, draw a short arc with center D and crossing the ray on the
right side of D. Label the intersection point E.
4. Keeping the same radius, draw a short arc with center E and crossing the ray on
the right side of E. Label the intersection point F.
5. Draw the circle with center C and passing through E.
6. Draw the circle with center C and passing through F.
C D
7
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 1.5
Construct a Regular Hexagon
A regular hexagon has six equal sides and six equal angles. Six equilateral triangles fit
together to form a regular hexagon.
Your challenge is to figure out how to construct a regular hexagon, called HEXAGO,
when given one side, HE. The picture to the right shows just the hexagon and triangles, it
does not show the circles or arcs needed to construct it.
Don’t try to draw a hexagon with just a straightedge! You will need G A
to use your compass to draw circles or arcs in order to put the points
N, O, G, A, and X in their proper places. As you work, never erase N
construction arcs! Leave your arcs to illustrate your method. O X
Hint: Use the method shown in Lesson 1.2 to construct equilateral
triangle ∆HEN. Then construct equilateral triangle ∆ENX. Continue
H E
to construct each of the remaining triangles.
H E
8
Chapter 2:
Kites and Basic
Constructions
9
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 2.1
Construct an Isosceles Triangle and a Kite
A triangle is called isosceles when at least two of its sides are the same I
length. The third side is called the base. Follow the directions below to
construct isosceles ∆KIT with base KT and two sides equal to MN. Your
construction will look like the example to the right. K T
1. Draw a short arc with center M passing through N. This will ensure
that the compass radius is set at MN.
2. Keeping radius MN, draw a long arc with center K, above and to the right of K.
3. Keeping radius MN, draw a long arc with center T, above and to the left of T.
4. Label the point where the arcs cross, I.
5. Draw KI and TI. KI = TI, making ∆KIT isosceles!
M N
K T
If you draw two isosceles triangles with the same base, then the pairs of equal sides
form a kite, as shown in the example to the right. Follow the directions below to finish
drawing kite KITE, still using KT above.
6. Open your compass to a wider radius of your choice. I
7. Draw an arc with center K, below and to the right of K.

8. Draw an arc with center T, below and to the left of T. K T
9. Label the point where the two arcs cross, E.
10. Draw KE and TE. KE = TE, making KITE a kite!
11. Also draw IE. KT and IE are called diagonals of KITE. A
diagonal of a kite is a segment that connects opposite corners. E
10
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 2.2
Two Special Kites: A Rhombus and a Non-Convex Kite
H
A kite that has four equal sides is called a rhombus. Follow the
directions below to construct rhombus RHOM, as in the picture to
the right.
1. Open your compass to any radius you like. Construct an isosceles
triangle above RO. R O
2. Construct another isosceles triangle the same size below RO.
3. Label the top point H and the bottom point M. RHOM is a
rhombus.
4. Draw the other diagonal, HM.
M
R O
Both kites you have drawn so far are convex: one isoceles triangle is above and the
other is below their common base. If both triangles are on the same side of their common
base, the kite is called nonconvex. Now you will construct a nonconvex kite.
11
5. Using any radius you choose, construct an isosceles triangle above base KT.
6. Change your compass radius, and construct another isosceles triangle—also above
base KT.
7. Label the new corner points I and E.
8. Draw the diagonal IE.
K T
The diagonals of KITE are IE and KT. Compare the nonconvex kite above with the
convex kite you drew on page 10. How are the diagonals of a nonconvex kite different
from those of a convex kite?
12
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 2.3
Useful Properties of Kites
As you know, a kite is formed from two isosceles triangles K
with a common base. These triangles may be tipped
sideways, as in the picture to the right. The common base,
2 4 6
KT, is one diagonal of a kite. The other diagonal is called E 1 3 M 5
I
the main diagonal, EI. The main diagonal of a kite has
several properties that are used extensively in constructions.
See if you can discover them. T
Circle your answers to the following questions:
a. What type of angle is angle 4: acute, right, or obtuse?
b. Which length is longer: KM, TM, or are they equal?
c. Which angle is wider: angle 1, angle 2, or are they equal?
d. Which angle is wider: angle 5, angle 6, or are they equal?
You may have discovered several properties of the main diagonal of any kite. We will
use them often in constructions. Learn them!
1. The diagonals of a kite are perpendicular, because they form right angles. (Did
you find that angle 4 is a right angle?)
2. The main diagonal of a kite contains the midpoint of the other diagonal. (Did you
find that M was exactly in the middle of KT?)
3. The main diagonal is thus the perpendicular bisector of the other diagonal. (To
bisect means “to cut into two equal pieces.”)
4. The main diagonal is the angle bisector of each angle. (Did you find that angle 1
was equal to angle 2, and also that angle 5 was equal to angle 6?)
13
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 2.4
Construct the Midpoint of a Segment Using
Its Perpendicular Bisector
C
The perpendicular bisector of a segment is a line that contains
the midpoint of the segment and is perpendicular to the segment.
To construct the perpendicular bisector, simply construct the main
diagonal of a kite. Your construction will look like the example to the
right.
1. Open the compass to any radius greater than half the length of A B
M
AB. (An easy radius to use is AB itself.)
2. Draw an arc with center A, above and to the right of A.
3. Keeping the same radius, draw an arc with center B, above and
to the left of B. D
4. Label the point where the two arcs intersect, C.
5. Draw two more arcs with the same radius (one with center
A and the other with center B) that intersect below segment AB. Label this
intersection D.
6. Use the straightedge to draw CD. CD is the perpendicular bisector of AB.
7. The point where CD crosses AB is the midpoint of AB. Label it M.
A B
8. On the picture in the upper right corner of the page, lightly draw all four sides of
kite ACBD; CD is its main diagonal.
14
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 2.5
Construct a Square When Given Its Diagonal
A square is a special type of kite that has four equal sides and four equal
angles. The four corners of a square lie on a circle. See the example to the
Q
right.
Using SU below as a diagonal, construct a square following the
directions below. S U
R
1. Construct the perpendicular bisector of SU. (Follow the procedure
you learned in Lesson 2.4.)
A
2. Label the midpoint of SU, R.
3. Draw a circle with center R and passing through S.
4. Label the points where the circle crosses the perpendicular bisector,
Q and A.
5. Use your straightedge to draw SQ , UQ , SA, and UA. SQUA is a square!
S U
15
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 2.6
Bisect an Angle
An angle is made up of two rays with a common endpoint. The rays are called the sides
of the angle. The endpoint is called the vertex of the angle. We often use the vertex point
to name the angle; for example, the angle in the middle of this page called “angle B.”
To bisect an angle means to draw a ray that splits the angle into two equal angles.
The ray is called an angle bisector. Our angle bisector will be the main diagonal of a kite.
Follow the directions below to bisect angle B.
1. Draw an arc with center B and a radius of your
choice, but not too small. Label the points where
the arc crosses each side of the angle, A and C.
A
2. Draw an arc with center A. D
3. With the same radius, draw an arc with center C.

4. Label the point where the two arcs cross, D.
B C
5. Draw a ray from B through D. This ray bisects
angle B. (Imagine drawing AD and CD. Do you
see that BADC would be a kite?)
6. Now, use the same procedure to bisect right angle P below.
P
16
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 2.7
Construct a Regular Octagon
C
A regular octagon has eight equal sides and eight equal angles. Like a square, B D
all of the corners of a regular octagon lie on a circle. Your construction will
look like the one to the right. A
M
E
1. Construct the perpendicular bisector of AE. (Remember Lesson 2.4?)
2. Label the midpoint of AE, M. F
H
G
3. Draw a circle with center M and passing through A.
4. Label the points where the circle crosses the perpendicular bisector, C
and G.
""""# """"#
Note: The point M is the vertex of four right angles. One of them has sides !MA and !MC .
In steps 5–7, you will construct the angle bisector of this right angle.
5. Draw a long arc with center A and passing through M.
6. Draw a long arc with center C and passing through M. Be sure that the two arcs
cross. (Do you see that this crossing point, and A, M, and C, are corners of a kite?)
7. Draw the angle bisector from M through the intersection of those two arcs.
8. Label the point where the circle with center M intersects the angle bisector, B.
9. Use the method of steps 5–8 to construct the angle bisectors of each of the other
three right angles with vertex M. (You will construct a 4-petal flower, too; if you
wish, color in the petals with colored pencils!)
10. Label the points where the circle with center M intersects these angle bisectors, D,
F, and H.
11. Connect the eight points on the circle to form regular octagon ABCDEFGH.
A E
17
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 2.8
Construct a Regular Dodecagon (Clock)
Look back at the construction of a regular octagon in Lesson 2.7. Ignore the angle
bisectors, ignore the points B, D, F, and H, and ignore the octagon. Can you see how the
arcs you drew form four petals of a flower? Can you see how to draw those petals using
just four long arcs? These arcs, together with the vertical and horizontal line segments,
cross the circle with center M in 12 equally spaced points. These points form the vertices
of a regular dodecagon.
On segment AG below, recreate the construction of the four petals. Omit the angle
bisectors, and omit the octagon. Locate the 12 points equally spaced around the circle,
and construct a regular dodecagon—a polygon with 12 equal sides and 12 angles.
Decorate your dodecagon with the numbers of a clock (1–12).
A G
18
Chapter 3:
Centers of a Triangle
19
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 3.1
Drop a Perpendicular
P
Imagine dropping a ball onto the floor. The ball will fall in a line
that is perpendicular to the floor. In the diagram, point P represents
the ball, and the given line represents the floor. Through point P,
we will construct a line that is perpendicular to the given line. This A B
perpendicular will be the main diagonal of a kite.

1. Open the compass to any convenient radius that is greater than
the distance between P and the line.
2. Draw an arc with center P that crosses the line in two points. Q
Label these points A and B. (Imagine connecting PA and PB to
form an isosceles triangle.)
3. Draw an arc with center A, below and to the right of A.
4. Keeping the same radius, draw another arc with center B, below and to the left of B.
5. Label the point where the two arcs cross, Q.
6. Draw PQ , which is perpendicular to the line.
7. On the sample diagram above, draw kite PBQA. Do you see that PQ is the main
diagonal of kite PBQA?
20
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 3.2
Centers of a Triangle I: Altitudes
B
In any triangle, if you drop a perpendicular from a
vertex to the opposite side, the segment you construct is
called an altitude. The altitudes from A and from B are
shown in the sample diagram to the right. The altitude
from C is not shown.
1. Drop a perpendicular from B to AC. This is
the altitude from B. (Use the method shown in
A C
Lesson 3.1.)
2. Drop a perpendicular from A to BC. This is the
altitude from A.
3. Drop a perpendicular from C to AB. This is the altitude from C. (It is not shown
in the sample diagram, but you can construct it using the same method.)
4. If you have worked very carefully, the three altitudes should intersect at a
single point. (If they don’t, find your mistake and fix it!) Label that point the
orthocenter. (Ortho- means “right” or “straight.” For example, an orthodontist
straightens teeth. Because altitudes intersect sides at right angles, the intersection
point of the altitudes is called the orthocenter.)
A C
21
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 3.3
Centers of a Triangle II: Angle Bisectors
B
The three angle bisectors of a triangle also meet at one point, called
the incenter. The angle bisectors from A and from C are shown at
right.
1. Construct the angle bisector of angle A. (Use the method
shown in Lesson 2.6.)
A C
2. Construct the angle bisector of angle C.
3. Construct the angle bisector of angle B. (It is not shown in the sample picture, but
you can construct it using the same method.)
4. If you have worked very carefully, all three angle bisectors should meet at a single
point. (If they don’t, find your mistake and fix it!) Label this point the incenter. (It
is the center of the inscribed circle, which you will draw in steps 5 and 6.)
5. Drop a perpendicular from the incenter to side AC. Label B
the point where this perpendicular crosses AC, P. (This
construction is shown at left. Use the method shown in
Lesson 3.1.)
incenter
6. Draw the circle with center at the incenter and passing
through P. This circle should just touch all three sides of P
A C
the triangle. (Scribe means “to write” or “to draw.” The
inscribed circle is drawn inside the triangle.)
A C
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Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 3.4
Centers of a Triangle III: Perpendicular Bisectors
B
1. Construct the perpendicular bisector of BC, as
shown in the example to the right. (Use the method
shown in Lesson 2.4.)
2. Using the same method, construct the perpendicular
bisectors of sides AB and AC.
3. The three perpendicular bisectors should meet at a
single point. (If they don’t, find your mistake and A C
fix it!) Label this point the circumcenter. (It is the
center of the circumscribed circle.)
4. Draw the circle with center at the circumcenter and passing through A. This
circle should pass through points A, B, and C. (Circum- means “around.” For
example, Magellan’s expedition circumnavigated, or sailed around, the world. The
circumscribed circle is drawn around the triangle.)
A C
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Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 3.5
Centers of a Triangle IV: Medians
B
A median of a triangle is a segment that connects a vertex to
the midpoint of the opposite side.
1. In ∆ABC below, construct the midpoint of side BC. (To
do this, construct its perpendicular bisector—but make
it very short, just long enough to cross BC and locate its
midpoint.)
2. Use the straightedge to connect the midpoint to its A C
opposite vertex. This segment is a median (as shown at
right).
3. Using the same method, construct the other two medians of ∆ABC.
4. The three medians should intersect in a single point. (If they don’t, find your
mistake and fix it!) Label this point the centroid.
A C
The centroid splits each median into two parts, one short and one long. How much
longer is the long part? To answer this question, choose any one of the medians, and open
your compass radius to the size of its short part. Exactly how many short parts will fit into
the long part? __________
Extra Credit: Obtain a piece of cardboard, draw any triangle on it, locate its centroid,
and cut out the triangle. It will balance at its centroid on the tip of a pin!
24
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 3.6
The Nine-Point Circle
If you enjoyed constructing the orthocenter, circumcenter, and centroid, then you may
enjoy the challenge of putting them into the same picture.
1. In ∆ABC below, construct all three altitudes, and label the orthocenter, O.
2. Construct all three perpendicular bisectors, and label the circumcenter, Ci.
3. Construct all three medians, and label the centroid, Ce.
4. Draw the segment OCi connecting the orthocenter and the circumcenter. (If you
have worked very carefully, the centroid, Ce, will lie on this segment.)
5. Open your compass radius to the length CiCe.
a. How many of these lengths will fit into the segment OCe? __________
6. Construct the midpoint of the segment OCi. Label it M.

7. Construct a circle with center M and passing through the midpoint of any side.
This is called the Nine-Point Circle.
b. Find and list all nine interesting points that it passes through. (There are three
types, each with three points.)
A C
25
Chapter 4:
Perpendiculars
and Rectangles
27
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Lesson 4.1
Erect a Perpendicular
In Lesson 3.1, you learned to drop a perpendicular from an external P
point to a given line. You used this method to construct the altitudes
of triangles. It also is possible to erect a perpendicular from a point
on a given line, like F on the segment below. We will use the fact
that two points equidistant from the endpoints of a segment determine its
Q F R
perpendicular bisector. In the example to the right, F and Q are the two
equidistant points.
1. First, use your straightedge to make the segment below longer.
2. Using any convenient radius (not too short), construct two arcs with center F
crossing the segment on opposite sides of the center. Label the crossing points, Q
and R. (Note that F is equidistant from Q and R.)
3. Using any longer radius, construct an arc above F with center Q.
4. Using the same radius, construct an arc with center R above F.
5. Label the point where these two arcs cross, P. (Note that P is also equidistant from
Q and R.)
$"# $"#
6. Draw !PF. !PF is the perpendicular bisector of QR. F is called the foot of this
perpendicular.
$"#
Can you imagine !PF as the main diagonal of a kite?
28
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 4.2
Construct a Parallel Line I: Using a Perpendicular
D
Parallel lines never meet. Through the point P below, we can
construct a line that is parallel to line l. We will use the theorem P F
n
that two lines perpendicular to the same line are parallel.
1. Drop a perpendicular from P to line l. (To do this, draw two E
arcs with center P that cross l at A and B. Draw two more
arcs with centers
$""# A and B that
$""# intersect at C below the l
lines. Draw !PC .) Extend !PC above P. A m B
$""# C
2. Erect a line through P perpendicular to$"" !PC
# . (To do this,
draw two arcs with center P that cross !PC at D and E. $"#
Draw two arcs with centers D and E that intersect at F. Draw !PF .)
$"# $""#
3. Lines l and !PF are parallel, because they are both perpendicular to !PC.
29
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 4.3
Construct a Rectangle When Given Two Sides I
A rectangle is a quadrilateral with four right angles. You
A n B
can construct a rectangle by erecting perpendiculars. (You
learned how to erect a perpendicular in Lesson 4.1.)
Build your rectangle on side CD below. Make the m l
shorter sides the same length as QP. The construction will
look like the picture at right. D C
1. Erect a line through D perpendicular to CD. Label
the line, m.
2. Open your compass radius to the length QP. Make an arc with center D, above D.
Label the point where the arc crosses line m, A.
3. Erect a line through A perpendicular to m. Label the line, n.
4. Erect a line through C perpendicular to CD. Label the line, l.
5. Label the point where l crosses n, B. Then ABCD is a rectangle, because all of its
sides are perpendicular.
D C
AB and CD are opposite sides of rectangle ABCD. BC and DA also are opposite sides.
In what two ways are opposite sides of a rectangle related to each other?
30
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 4.4
Construct a Rectangle When Given Two Sides II
A B
Opposite sides of a rectangle are equal in length. This property
provides a quicker way to construct a rectangle. First construct one
m
right angle, and then make all of the sides the correct lengths. Your
construction will look like the drawing on the right. D C
1. Erect a line through D perpendicular to CD. Label the line, m.
2. Open your compass radius to the length QP. Make an arc with center D, above D.
Label the point where the arc crosses line m, A.
3. Keeping the same radius QP, make an arc with center C, above C.
4. Change the radius to DC, and make an arc with center A, to the right of A.
5. Label the point where these arcs cross, B.
6. Draw AB and BC. ABCD is a rectangle, because its opposite sides are equal and
it has a right angle.
D C
Now, draw the diagonals of rectangle ABCD.
In what two ways are the diagonals of a rectangle related to each other?
31
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 4.5
Construct a Square When Given Its Side
A square is a special type of rectangle in which all four sides are the same length. In
Lesson 2.5, you constructed a square given its diagonal. Now, use what you have learned
about rectangles to construct a square given its side. Build your square on side DC below.
Show all of the construction arcs you need—don’t erase them!
a. Describe each step of your construction.

1. Erect a line through D perpendicular to CD. Label the line, m.
2. ________________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________________
4. ________________________________________________________________
5. ________________________________________________________________
6. ________________________________________________________________
7. ________________________________________________________________
D C
Draw the diagonals of square ABCD.
b. In what four ways are the diagonals of a square related to each other (or to the
angles of the square)?
32
Chapter 5:
Parallels and Parallelograms
33
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 5.1
Copy an Angle
To copy an angle means to construct an angle with the same B
measure but located somewhere else. You will copy angle A
onto the line below. The finished construction will look like the C
A
drawing on the right.
1. Open your compass to any convenient radius.
2. Draw an arc with center A that crosses both sides of angle A. Y
Label the points where the arc crosses the sides of the angle,
B and C, with B above C. X Z
3. Keeping the same radius, draw an arc with center X. Make
the arc about the same length as the arc you drew in step 2.
Label the point where the arc crosses the working line, Z.
4. Draw a short arc with center C passing through B, so that the radius of the
compass is the length BC.
5. Keeping the radius BC, draw an arc with center Z. Label the point where the two
arcs cross, Y.
"""#
6. Draw !XY .
Angle YXZ is a copy of angle BAC . We also say that angle YXZ is congruent to
angle BAC. In symbols, we write ∠YXZ ≅ ∠BAC.
34
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 5.2
Construct a Parallel Line II: Using an Oblique Line
This construction shows that you don’t need perpendiculars
$"# to
Q
construct parallels. We will use an oblique line !PB . (An oblique
line is neither perpendicular nor parallel to a given line.)
To construct a parallel line through P, you will copy the angle P C
with vertex B to a corresponding position with vertex P. The
construction will look like the picture at right. B A
1. Draw an arc with center B and passing through P. Label
the point where the arc crosses the horizontal line, A.
2. Keeping the same radius, draw an arc with center P that crosses the oblique line
above P and curves to the right. Label the point where the arc crosses the oblique
line, Q.
3. Change the radius so you can draw an arc with center P that passes through A.
4. Keeping the radius PA, draw an arc with center Q that crosses the other arc with
center P. Label the point where the arcs cross, C.
$""#
5. Draw !PC, which is parallel to the horizontal line. (Do you see that you have
copied angle B?)
6. To see why these lines are parallel, observe that ∠PBA is congruent to ∠QPC . If
corresponding angles are congruent, then lines are parallel.
35
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 5.3
Construct a Parallelogram I: Using the Definition
By definition, a parallelogram is a quadrilateral in which E
both pairs of opposite sides are parallel. Use point P and side
Q
SR below to construct a parallelogram. The construction will P F
look like to the one ""# on the right.
1. Draw """#ray !SP (which includes side SP). Also extend S A R D
ray !SR to the right.
2. Open your compass to the radius SP. Draw an arc""" with
# center S and passing
through P. Label the point where this arc crosses !SR, A.
3. Keeping the same radius, draw ""# an arc with center P, about the same size. Label the
point where this arc crosses !SP, E.
4. Keeping the same radius, draw """# an arc with center R, about the same size. Label the
point where this arc crosses !SR, D.
5. Change your compass radius to PA. Draw an arc with center E. Label the point
where this arc crosses the arc with center P, F. (Do you see that you are copying
angle S?)
$"# """#
6. Draw the line !PF , which will be parallel to !SR, because if corresponding angles are
congruent, then lines are parallel.
7. Keeping the radius PA, draw an arc with center D that crosses the arc with center
R. If all has gone well, this arc will cross the parallel line at the same point. Label
this point Q. Draw RQ . (Do you see that ∠QRD is a copy of angle S?) Because
corresponding angles are congruent, RQ is parallel to SP.
8. Because both pairs of opposite sides are parallel, PQRS is a parallelogram by the
definition.
S R
36
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 5.4
Discerning Properties of Parallelograms
Look back at parallelogram PQRS you constructed in Lesson 5.3. Answer the following
questions about it by circling the appropriate responses.
a. PS and QR are called opposite sides. PQ and SR also are opposite sides. Are
these pairs of opposite sides parallel?
Yes No
b. Segments that have the same length are called congruent. Are opposite sides in
parallelogram PQRS congruent?
Yes No
c. Do you think opposite sides of any parallelogram would be congruent? (Hint:
Think about drawing the arc with center R in Step 4.)
Yes No
d. In PQRS, angles PSR and RQP are called opposite angles. Angles QPS and SRQ
are also opposite angles. Are opposite angles congruent?
Yes No
e. Do you think opposite angles of any parallelogram would be congruent?
Yes No
f. Angles PSR and QRS and are called consecutive angles. What relationship do
consecutive angles have to each other? (Hint: Remember that ∠PSR ≅ ∠QRD .)
i. Consecutive angles are congruent.
ii. Consecutive angles are supplementary (their sum is 180°).
iii. Consecutive angles are complementary (their sum is 90°).
Now, turn back to your construction in Lesson 5.3 and draw the diagonals SQ and PR.
Answer the following questions by circling the appropriate responses.
g. Are the diagonals of PQRS congruent?

Yes No
h. Are the diagonals of PQRS perpendicular to each other?
Yes No
i. Do the diagonals of PQRS bisect its angles?
Yes No
j. Do the diagonals of PQRS bisect each other?
Yes No
37
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 5.5
Construct a Parallelogram II: An Easier Way
One geometry theorem states that, if two sides of a quadrilateral P Q
are both parallel and congruent, then it is a parallelogram. This fact
implies an easier way to construct a parallelogram.
S A R D
Use point P and side SR below. You will construct RQ both
parallel and congruent
"""# to SP. ""#
1. Draw ray !SR (which includes side SR). Draw ray !SP.
2. Draw an arc with radius SP and center S. Label the point where this arc crosses
SR, A.
3. Keeping the same radius, draw """# an arc with center R to the right of R. Label the
point where this arc crosses !SR, D.
4. Open your compass radius to PA. Draw an arc with center D that crosses the arc
with center R. Label the point where these arcs cross, Q. Draw RQ and PQ .
5. Because PS is parallel and congruent to QR, PQRS is a parallelogram.
S R
38
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 5.6
Construct a Parallelogram III: The Easiest Way
Yet another geometry theorem states that, if both pairs of opposite sides of a quadrilateral
are congruent, then it is a parallelogram. Show how to use this theorem to construct
parallelogram PQRS below. Describe each step of your construction. (Hint: You only
need to draw two arcs to locate point Q.)
1. ______________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________________________
S R
39
Chapter 6:
Constructing Triangles
41
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 6.1
Construct a Triangle Given SSS
C
Suppose you are given three lengths. Can you construct a triangle
side 1 side 2
using those lengths as its three sides? In other words, given Side-
Side-Side (SSS), can you construct a triangle? Could you construct A B
side 3
two different triangles using the same three sides? If three given
sides can be used to construct one and only one triangle, then we side 1 side 2
will say that SSS determines a triangle. But, does it matter how
D
long the sides are?
Below are three side lengths, side 1, side 2, and side 3. We will build triangles above
and below side 3. The finished construction will look like the picture at right.
1. Open your compass radius to be the length of side 1.
2. Keeping that radius, draw a big arc—half of a circle—with center A and radius
side 1. The arc should cross AB.
3. Open your compass radius to be the length of side 2.
4. Draw a big arc with center B and radius side 2.
5. Label the points where the two arcs cross, C and D.
6. Draw AC and BC, and label them side 1 and side 2.
7. Draw AD and BD, and also label them side 1 and side 2.
side 1
side 2
A side 3 B
a. Using your imagination, how could you move ∆ABC to fit on top of ∆ABD?
b. Do ∆ABC and ∆ABD have the same size and shape? __________
c. In this case, does SSS determine a triangle? __________
42
8. Suppose we make side 3 a little longer. Use the SSS method to construct ∆ABE
with these three side lengths. Make just one triangle, either above or below AB.
side 1
side 2
A side 3 B
d. For this obtuse triangle, does SSS determine a triangle? __________
9. Now let’s make side 3 even longer. Try to construct a triangle with these three side
lengths:
side 1
side 2
A side 3 B
e. What went wrong?
f. In order to be able to construct a triangle, how must the length of side 3 be related
to the lengths of the two shorter sides?
g. Given three sides that fit this restriction, will SSS determine a triangle? __________
43
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 6.2
Using SSS to Copy a Triangle Into Kites or Parallelograms
Follow these directions to create a copy of ∆PQR flipped over side PR.
1. Draw an arc with center P and radius PQ on the left side of ∆PQR.
2. Draw an arc with center R and radius RQ on the left side of ∆PQR.
3. Label the point where the arcs intersect, S.
P
4. Draw segments PS and RS.
a. What special type of quadrilateral is PQRS? ____________________
Construct three copies of the triangle below, flipping it over each side. You will draw
six arcs. Each side is the radius of two arcs, one centered at each endpoint. The finished
construction should look like the picture at right.
b. How many kites are in your construction? __________

44
Follow the directions below to create a copy of ∆PQR that has been rotated around the
midpoint of side PR.
1. Use radius QR to draw an arc with center P (!) on the left side of ∆PQR.
2. Switch to radius QP to draw an arc with center R (!) on the left side of ∆PQR.
3. Label the point where the arcs intersect, T.
P
4. Draw segments PT and RT.
c. What special type of quadrilateral is PQRT? ____________________
Construct three copies of the triangle below, rotating it around the midpoint of each side.
You will draw three circles. Each side is the radius of one circle with its center being the
opposite vertex. The finished construction should look like the picture at right.
d. How many parallelograms are in your construction? __________

45
Reconsider your construction as one large white triangle with a small grey triangle inside.
Each side of the grey triangle is called a midsegment of the large white triangle, because
each side of the grey triangle connects the midpoints of two sides of the white triangle.
e. How does the length of each midsegment compare with the length of the side that
it is parallel to?
f. How does the area of the inner triangle compare with the area of the outer
triangle?
Again reconsider your construction. The three circles shown in the picture intersect
in three other points that were not used to form the parallelograms. Redraw those three
circles below. Connect one of these other intersection points to the two nearest vertices of
the grey triangle.
g. What kind of special quadrilateral is formed? ____________________
46
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 6.3
Using SSS to Copy an Angle
This lesson verifies the method of Lesson 5.1. To copy an angle means to construct an
angle with the same measure but located somewhere else. You will
copy angle A onto the line below. The finished construction will B
look like the one on the right.
1. Open your compass to any convenient radius.
A C
2. Draw an arc with center A that crosses both sides of angle
A. Label the points where the arc crosses the sides of the
angle, B and C, with B above C. Y
3. Keeping the same radius, draw an arc with center X. Make the
arc about the same length as the arc you drew in step 2. Label X Z
the point where the arc crosses the working line, Z.
4. Draw a short arc with center C passing through B, so that the radius of the
compass is the length BC.
5. Keeping the radius BC, draw an arc with center Z. Label the point where the two
arcs cross, Y.
"""#
6. Draw !XY .
How can we be sure that angle YXZ is a copy of angle BAC? Because SSS determines
a triangle, ∆YXZ and ∆BAC must have the same size and shape. Hence corresponding
angles must have the same measure, so ∠YXZ ≅ ∠BAC .
47
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 6.4
Construct a Triangle Given ASA
The picture at left shows another way to think about constructing
a triangle. Given a side and the two angles that fit on either end,
can you construct one and only one triangle? In other words,
does Angle-Side-Angle (ASA) determine a triangle? (The given
A included side B
side is “included” because it is a part of each angle.)
A B
You will fit copies of angles A and B onto each endpoint of side
AB below. The construction will look like the picture at right. W
1. Copy angle A onto the left endpoint of AB. (Use the
method found in Lesson 6.3.)
2. Copy angle B onto the right endpoint of AB. A B
3. Label the point where the rays cross, W. You have created ∆
ABW.
A B
4. Here is an obtuse angle C that replaces angle A. Copy angle B onto the right
endpoint of CB below to create ∆CBV.
C B
48
5. Here is a copy of angle C from the previous page, but a different angle B. Copy
this angle B onto the right endpoint of CB.
C B
a. Why can’t you construct ∆CBV in this case?
b. Does the length of the given side CB make any difference? __________
c. If the two given angles can belong to the same
triangle, then their sum must be smaller than what number? __________
d. Given two angles that fit the restriction in question C,
and the side included between them, will ASA determine a triangle? __________
49
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 6.5
C Construct a Triangle Given SAS
side 2
The picture at left indicates yet another possible way to construct a triangle.
Suppose you are given two sides and the angle included between them.
included angle
Can you construct one and only one triangle? In other words, does Side-
Angle-Side (SAS) determine a triangle? Your finished construction will
A side 1
look like the picture at right. D
1. Copy side 1 onto the horizontal side of angle A; label the
intersection point B.
2. Copy side 2 onto the oblique side of angle A; label the intersection C
point C.
3. Draw BC.
A E B
side 1 side 2
4. Now copy side 1 onto the oblique side of ∠A ; label the intersection point D.
5. Copy side 2 onto the horizontal side of ∠A ; label the intersection point E.
6. Draw DE.
a. Does ∆ABC have the same size and shape as ∆ADE ? __________
7. Now copy side 1 and side 2 onto this obtuse angle to form a triangle.
A
50
b. Does SAS determine a triangle even if the angle is obtuse? __________

c. Would it matter if the sides were longer or shorter? __________
d. Does SAS always determine a triangle? __________
51
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 6.6
When Does SSA Determine a Triangle
Suppose you are given an angle, a side adjacent to the angle (side 1),
side 2 and a side opposite the angle (side 2). Does Side-Side-Angle (SSA)
determine a triangle? The answer depends on the type of angle and on
given angle the relative lengths of the two sides. We investigate eight cases, first
side 1 with an obtuse angle, then with a right angle, then with an acute angle.
Case I. The angle is obtuse, and side 2 is greater than side 1. C

1. Open your compass to the radius side 2, and make an
arc with center B. side 2
2. Label the point where the arc crosses the oblique side
of angle A, C.
A side 1 B
3. Draw BC. Label it side 2.
side 2
side 2
A side 1 B
a. Did SSA determine a triangle in this case? __________

b. If side 2 were longer, would SSA determine a triangle? __________
Case II. The angle is obtuse, and side 2 is less than (or equal to) side 1.
4. Open your compass to the radius side 2, and make an arc with center B.
side 2
A side 1 B
52
c. How could you change the length of side 2 to be able to construct a triangle?
d. Why would SsA be a good way to describe the construction method you
investigated in Case I and Case II? (In your answer, refer to side 2 as “the side
opposite the angle” and refer to side 1 as “the side adjacent to the angle.”)
Case III. The angle is a right angle.

5. Choose any length for side 2 greater than side 1, and construct a triangle.
6. Choose any length for side 2 less than side 1, and try to construct a triangle.
A side 1 B
e. If side 2 > side 1 and the angle is a right angle, does SsA determine a triangle?
__________
f. Let sSA mean side 2 < side 1. Would sSA ever determine a triangle when the
angle is an obtuse or a right angle?
__________
g. Let ssA mean side 2 = side 1. Would ssA ever determine a triangle when the angle
is an obtuse or a right angle?
__________
53
Case IV. The angle is acute and side 2 is greater than side 1.
7. Make an arc with center B and radius side 2.
8. Label the point where this arc crosses the oblique side of angle A, C.
9. Draw side BC.
A side 1 B
side 2
h. Would anyone else get the same triangle you did? __________
10. Open your compass to any other length of side 2 that is greater than side 1. Try to
construct a triangle following steps 7–9.
i. If the angle is acute and side 2 > side 1, does SsA determine a triangle? __________
Case V. The angle is acute, and side 2 is equal to side 1.

11. Open your compass so its radius is the same as side 2.
12. Make an arc with center B and radius side 2. Label the point where this arc crosses
the oblique side of angle A, C.
13. Draw side BC.
A side 1 B side 2
j. If the angle is acute, does ssA determine a triangle? __________

54
Case VI. The angle is acute, and side 2 is somewhat shorter than side 1.
16. Label the two (!) points where this arc crosses the oblique side of angle A, C and D.
17. Draw sides BC and BD.
A side 1 B side 2
k. How many triangles have you drawn that use angle A, side 1, and this side 2?
__________
l. Does sSA determine one and only one triangle in this case? __________
18. Change your radius to be slightly smaller than side 2, and repeat steps 15–17.
Change your radius again to be slightly smaller, and repeat steps 15–17.
m. Can you find just the right radius so that points C and D are in the same place?
__________
Case VII. Side 2 is just short enough to reach the oblique side of angle A.
19. Open your compass so its radius is the same as given side 2, which was carefully
chosen to be just the right size.
21. This arc should touch the oblique side of angle A in just one point; label that point C.
22. Draw side BC.
A side 1 B side 2
55
n. What kind of angle is angle C? ___________________

o. Does sSA determine a triangle in this special case? __________
Case VIII. Side 2 is too short to reach the oblique side of angle A.
A side 1 B side 2
p. Does the arc cross the oblique side of angle A? __________

q. Does sSA determine a triangle in this case? __________
Summary of Cases
r. These are the three conditions under which SSA determines a triangle:
i. If opposite side > adjacent side, for what kinds of given angles does SsA
determine a triangle? (Circle all that apply.) obtuse right acute
ii. If opposite side = adjacent side, for what kind of given angle does ssA
determine a triangle? (Circle one.) obtuse right acute
iii. If opposite side < adjacent side, for what kind of given angle might sSA
determine a triangle? (Circle one.) obtuse right acute
iv. If sSA does determine a triangle in condition iii, what type of triangle must it be?
–––––––––––––––––––
56
Chapter 7:
The Infinitesimal
and the Golden Ratio
57
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 7.1
Construct a Midsegment and Discern Its Properties
A
In earlier lessons, you constructed the midpoints of the sides
of a triangle. In this lesson, you will connect two of those
M
midpoints with a segment—the midsegment—and discern
its properties. N
B
1. In the space below, locate any three noncollinear
points A, B, and C wherever you choose. Connect
them to be the vertices of ∆ABC . C
2. Use the perpendicular bisector construction (described in Lesson 2.4) to find the
midpoints of AB and AC. Label them M and N.
3. Draw MN.
Find two interesting relationships between MN and BC.
58
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 7.2
Join the Midpoints of Any Quadrilateral
The midpoints of the sides of any quadrilateral have an
interesting property. Construct them, and figure out
what property they have.
1. In the space below, locate any four noncollinear C
points A, B, C, and D. N
O
2. Connect the points to form quadrilateral B
ABCD, as shown in the picture.
M D
3. Choose any radius longer than half the longest A
P
side. Draw two circles, with centers A and B.
4. Connect the intersection points of circles A and
B to find the midpoint, M.
5. Keeping the same radius, draw the circle with
center C. Connect the intersection points of circles B and C to find the midpoint,
N.
6. Keeping the same radius, draw the circle with center D. Connect the intersection
points of circles C and D to find the midpoint, O.
7. Connect the intersection points of circles D and A to find the midpoint, P.
8. Connect the midpoints to form quadrilateral MNOP.
59
a. What special type of quadrilateral is MNOP? _____________________
To verify this conjecture, draw AC and answer these questions:

b. Which segment is the midsegment of ∆ABC ? _____________________
c. Which segment is the midsegment of ∆ADC ? _____________________
d. Why is MN parallel to OP?
e. Why are MN and OP the same length?
f. Why is MNOP the special type of quadrilateral you declared it to be?
60
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 7.3
Join the Midpoints of a Rectangle
and Peer Into the Infinitesimal
1. Open your compass radius to the length of AB.
Construct circles with centers A, B, C, and D.
B F C
2. Connect appropriate intersections of these circles
to locate the midpoints of rectangle ABCD. Label E G
them E, F, G, and H. (These are shown in the
example figure to the right.)
A H D
3. Connect these midpoints to form quadrilateral
EFGH.
4. Draw diagonals BD and AC.
5. Diagonals BD and AC intersect the sides of EFGH in midpoints I, J, K, and L.
Label these midpoints. Connect them to form quadrilateral IJKL.
6. Diagonals EG and FH intersect the sides of IJKL in their midpoints; connect
these midpoints to form another quadrilateral.
7. Continue connecting midpoints to get smaller and smaller quadrilaterals. In
theory, you could go on forever.
a. What special type of quadrilateral is EFGH? ___________________

b. What special type of quadrilateral is IJKL? ___________________
B C
A D
61
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 7.4
Fill a Golden Rectangle to the Infinitesimal
G O
Some rectangles are long and thin, and others are square. Since the
time of the ancient Greeks, many people have felt that the most
perfectly proportioned rectangle is the golden rectangle. The pillars
of the Parthenon, the Cathedral of Notre Dame, and the United
Nations Building in New York all utilize the golden rectangle in
their design.
A golden rectangle can be divided into a square and another, E N
smaller golden rectangle.
1. Open your compass radius to length GO. Swing an arc with
center G from O across GD. Label the point where the arc
crosses GD, E.
2. Keeping the same radius, draw an arc with center O across D L
OL. Label the intersection point, N.
3. Connect EN to form square GONE and another golden rectangle, LDEN.
4. Repeat this procedure to divide each golden rectangle into a square and a smaller
golden rectangle, as far as you can. In theory, you could go on forever.
G O
D L
62
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 7.5
Calculate the Golden Ratio
(For students who can use the quadratic formula.)
Many of the rectangles we use every day are close to being golden. File cards are 3 × 5,
4 × 6, or 5 × 8, and legal-size paper is 8½ × 14; these shapes are very close to being golden
rectangles. Leonardo da Vinci showed that many of the proportions of the human body
and face are based on the golden rectangle, and he used golden rectangles to place key
features in his painting, Mona Lisa.
How do you determine the shape of the golden rectangle? The shape of any rectangle
is determined by the ratio of its length to its width. For a square, this ratio is 1. For other
rectangles, this ratio could be any number from 1 to infinity.
length length length
width width width
length : width = 1 length : width = 1.5 length : width = 2
The ratio of length to width of a golden rectangle is called the golden ratio.
O length L
a. Compare the golden rectangle to the right to the
rectangles shown above. What number would you guess
width
to be close to the golden ratio?
G D
__________ length : width = ?
To calculate the golden ratio exactly, consider golden O N L

rectangle GOLD, which has length GD = x and width 1 x–1
x
LD = 1 . Hence 1 must be the golden ratio. We can divide
1
GOLD into the 1 × 1 square GONE and the smaller golden
rectangle LDEN, which has length 1 and width x ! 1.
Hence x 1! 1 must also be the golden ratio. Thus we G E D
get the equation 1x " x 1! 1 . x
b. Show how to use the quadratic formula to solve the above equation and find the
exact form for the golden ratio (which is often called φ , phi).
63
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 7.6
Construct a Golden Rectangle
1$ 5 G D
As you calculated in Lesson 7.5, the golden ratio is # " 2 .
Note that this expression takes the square root of the integer
5, adds 1, and then divides by 2. All of these operations
can be shown to be constructible. (We will investigate
construction arithmetic in Chapter 10.) Given segment O Q P L
GO below that has length 1, it is possible to construct a

perpendicular segment # " 1 $2 5 .
"""# OL that has length
1. Extend ray !GO .
2. Erect a perpendicular to GO through O.
3. Locate point P on that perpendicular such that OP = OG .
4. Find the midpoint of OP; label it Q. Draw GQ .
5. Draw an arc with center Q and radius QG; label the point where the arc crosses
the ray OP , L. Point L is the third corner of the golden rectangle.
6. Draw an arc with radius OG and center L; draw an arc with radius OL and center
G; label the intersection of these arcs D. D is the fourth corner of the rectangle.
7. Connect golden rectangle GOLD.
Why does this construction work? Because GO = 1 , OQ OQ = 1 , and, by the

2
Pythagorean Theorem, GQGQ== 5 ; therefore, OL
OL== 1 $ 5 .
2 2
64
Name_________________________________ Date____________________________
Lesson 7.7
Construct a Regular Pentagon
A
As you have worked through these lessons, you have constructed an
equilateral triangle, a square, and a regular hexagon, octagon, and
dodecagon. But you have not yet constructed a regular pentagon that E B
has five equal sides and five equal angles. The construction is tricky, but P N O M Q
fun. Be precise and use a sharp pencil!
1. Construct the perpendicular bisector of PQ below. Label the
midpoint O. D C
2. Draw the circle with center O and passing through P and Q.

3. Label the point where the circle crosses the perpendicular above O, A.
4. Construct the midpoint of OQ ; label it M. (Hint: Don’t change the radius; draw
arcs with center Q.)
5. Draw an arc with center M and radius MA. Label the point where the arc crosses
PQ , N.
6. Open your compass radius to the length AN. This is a side of your pentagon. Draw
two arcs with center A that cross circle O. Label the left intersection E and the
right one B.
7. Keeping the same radius, draw an arc with center B across the circle; label the
intersection point C. Draw another arc with center E across the circle; label the
intersection point D.
8. Draw the five sides of the regular pentagon ABCDE.
P Q
65
Answers
67
Lesson 1.3 Lesson 5.4
B is the center. a. Yes
b. Yes
Lesson 2.2 c. Yes
The diagonals of a nonconvex kite do not d. Yes
intersect. e. Yes
f. ii
Lesson 2.3 g. No
a. Right h. No
b. Equal i. No
c. Equal j. Yes
d. Equal
Lesson 5.6
Lesson 3.5 1. Draw arc with radius PS and center R.
Two 2. Draw arc with radius SR and center P.
3. Label the point where the two arcs cross,
Lesson 3.6 Q.
a. Two 4. Draw PQRS.
b. The nine points are: three midpoints,
three altitudes’ feet, and three points Lesson 6.1
midway from a foot to the orthocenter. a. Flip it over side 3.
b. Yes, because one will fit on top of the
Lesson 4.3 other.
Opposite sides of a rectangle are parallel and c. Yes, because the two triangles you can
equal in length. construct are identical.
d. Yes
Lesson 4.4 e. Side 3 is too long, so side 1 and side 2
The diagonals of a rectangle are equal, and can’t reach each other.
they bisect each other. f. It must be that side 3 < side 1 + side 2
g. Yes
Lesson 4.5
a. A possible method: Lesson 6.2
2. Open the compass to radius DC. a. Kite
3. Draw an arc with center D; label the b. Three
point where the arc crosses m, A. c. Parallelogram
4. Draw an arc with center A to the right d. Three
of A. e. The midsegment is half as long as the side
5. Draw an arc with center C above C. it is parallel to.
6. Label the point where the arcs cross, B. f. The grey triangle has one quarter the area
7. Draw ABCD. of the white triangle.
b. A square’s diagonals are equal in length, g. An isosceles trapezoid is formed.
are perpendicular to each other, bisect
each other, and bisect the angles of the Lesson 6.4
square. a. The rays don’t intersect.
68
b. No Lesson 7.1
c. 180°. Because the sum of all three angles They are parallel and the midsegment is half
of a triangle is 180°, the sum of any two as long as the base.
angles must be less than 180°.
d. Yes Lesson 7.2
a. MNOP is a parallelogram.
Lesson 6.5 b. MN
a. Yes c. OP
b. Yes d. As midsegments, both MN and OP are
c. No, the construction method will work parallel to AC, so they are parallel to each
for any side lengths. other.
d. Yes, as long as the angle is between 0° and e. Both MN and OP are half as long as AC,
180°. so they are the same length.
f. Because MNOP has two opposite sides
Lesson 6.6 that are parallel and equal, MNOP must
a. Yes be a parallelogram.
b. Yes
c. Make side 2 longer than side 1. Lesson 7.3
d. SsA determines a triangle whenever the a. a rhombus
side opposite the angle is bigger than the b. a rectangle
side adjacent to the angle; in SsA, the S
opposite the A is bigger than the s next to Lesson 7.5
the A. a. Answers will vary; about 1.6.
e. Yes 1$ 5
b. # " 2
f. No
g. No
h. Yes
i. Yes
j. Yes
k. Two
l. No
m. Yes
n. Angle C is a right angle.
o. Yes
p. No
q. No
r. SSA determines a triangle when . . .
i. opposite > adjacent and the angle is
obtuse, right, or acute.
ii. opposite = adjacent and the angle is
acute.
iii. opposite < adjacent, the angle is acute.
iv. The triangle formed is a right triangle.
69

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© Prufrock Press Inc.

Prepared Exclusively for Beth Fawley, 03/04/2011

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© Prufrock Press Inc. Prepared Exclusively for Beth Fawley, 03/04/2011

Edited by Jennifer Robins

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© Prufrock Press Inc. Prepared Exclusively for Beth Fawley, 03/04/2011

© Prufrock Press Inc. Prepared Exclusively for Beth Fawley, 03/04/2011

In Chapter 1, students practice the technique of using a compass and

The activities in Hands-On Geometry are aligned with national education

Hundreds of my own students have loved these construction activities. I

Introduction: The Straightedge and Compass Tools

The arrowheads indicate that lines go on forever in both directions.

7. Draw an arc with center K, below and to the right of K.

Circle your answers to the following questions:

a. What type of angle is angle 4: acute, right, or obtuse?

b. Which length is longer: KM, TM, or are they equal?

c. Which angle is wider: angle 1, angle 2, or are they equal?

d. Which angle is wider: angle 5, angle 6, or are they equal?

3. With the same radius, draw an arc with center C.

6. Now, use the same procedure to bisect right angle P below.

perpendicular will be the main diagonal of a kite.

6. Construct the midpoint of the segment OCi. Label it M.

Now, draw the diagonals of rectangle ABCD.

a. Describe each step of your construction.

Draw the diagonals of square ABCD.

g. Are the diagonals of PQRS congruent?

d. For this obtuse triangle, does SSS determine a triangle? __________

e. What went wrong?

a. What special type of quadrilateral is PQRS? ____________________

b. How many kites are in your construction? __________

c. What special type of quadrilateral is PQRT? ____________________

d. How many parallelograms are in your construction? __________

g. What kind of special quadrilateral is formed? ____________________

a. Why can’t you construct ∆CBV in this case?

b. Does SAS determine a triangle even if the angle is obtuse? __________

Case I. The angle is obtuse, and side 2 is greater than side 1. C

a. Did SSA determine a triangle in this case? __________

Case III. The angle is a right angle.

Case V. The angle is acute, and side 2 is equal to side 1.

j. If the angle is acute, does ssA determine a triangle? __________

n. What kind of angle is angle C? ___________________

p. Does the arc cross the oblique side of angle A? __________

Find two interesting relationships between MN and BC.

a. What special type of quadrilateral is MNOP? _____________________

To verify this conjecture, draw AC and answer these questions:

e. Why are MN and OP the same length?

f. Why is MNOP the special type of quadrilateral you declared it to be?

a. What special type of quadrilateral is EFGH? ___________________

width width width

length : width = 1 length : width = 1.5 length : width = 2

To calculate the golden ratio exactly, consider golden O N L

get the equation 1x " x 1! 1 . x

GO below that has length 1, it is possible to construct a

Why does this construction work? Because GO = 1 , OQ OQ = 1 , and, by the

2. Draw the circle with center O and passing through P and Q.

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