The History of Geometric

ConstructionBy: Morgan Hungerford

Geometry’s Beginning

Geometry is believed to have

originally started in ancient

Mesopotamia, Egypt around 3000

BC.

EuclidEuclid, an Alexandrian Greek Mathematician,

was one of the first men to experiment with

geometric constructions. He created several

postulates that still define constructions today. He is

accredited with the foundation of modern-day

Euclidean geometry.

Euclid lived in Alexandria, Egypt.

Elements

Euclid is credited with writing a work

called Elements that is the basis of some key ideas in

geometry even today.

This work tells of Euclid’s 10 axioms,

and other vital geometric ideas.

ToolsAncient Geometricians

used compasses and straightedges just as we do today, though

compasses have changed slightly since the time of Euclid, in 300 B.C. They were previously spring loaded and would

close when not pressed on a paper but are now simply

adjustable.

UsesThe ancient people discovered geometric

constructions to meet their needs. The Greeks did only

had whole numbers and had no zero at all. This

made it very hard for them to do arithmetic so other ways were discovered.

They experimented with lengths, angles, areas, and

volumes, and these eventually led to uses in surveying, construction,

and even astronomy.

TodayGeometric constructions

are not much different today as they were in Euclid’s time. Only the means with which we

create geometric constructions has been

drastically altered. Electronic programs

have been developed to assist us and tools and

purposes have been changed but remarkably, the rules we follow are

almost exactly the same.

CONSTRUCTING A

PERPENDICULAR BISECTOR

By: Morgan Hungerford

STEP ONE

Use a straightedge to make a line. Put

points on the ends and label them A and B.

A B

STEP TWO

Put the compass pencil point on point A and the sharp point on the

line. Adjust the compass so

that it is wider than half of line

AB.

A B

STEP THREE

Without changing the width of the

compass, construct a circle.

A B

STEP FOUR

Leaving the compass the same width,

put the compass pencil point on point B and the sharp point on the

line.

A B

STEP FIVE

Without changing the width of the compass,

construct a circle.

A B

STEP SIX

Label the two points where the circles intersect;

C and D.A B

C

D

STEP SEVEN

Use a straight edge and draw a line between points C and D. A B

C

D

STEP EIGHT

Label the line you just drew; E. This is your perpendicular

bisector.A B

C

D

E