UNIT 13

Geometrical
Constructions
Archaeologists have found 56 chalk pits that form a regular polygon inscribed within
the circular Stonehenge formation. No one knows how it was used or what functions
t served. But it is clear that the earliest people of England understood basic geometry.
Some researchers suggested that these holes could have been used to predict dates of
lunar eclipses or a way to keep track of the 28-day lunar month cycle. Can you construct
a 56-sided polygon within a circle?

In this You will learn about:

unit
Constructing perpendicular lines
from a
point to a line
from a
point on a line
Inscribing polygons in circdes
Drawing loi

IT 13
Geometrical Constructions
 CHAPTER 13.1 In this Chapter
Pupils should be able to

Constructing u s e a straight edye and

compasses to construct
the perpendicular from
a point to a line and the

perpendicular Lines perpendicular frorn a

point on a line

We have learnt toconstruct perpendicular bisector of a straight line in Stage 8.

What are
some roperties of a pair of perpendicular lines?

AD DB RECALL
A B
angle bisector
1 Draw an
of 180°.
D is the midpoint of
2 Construct each pair of
the line AB lines on a piece of blank
paper.
a) PQLRS
b) WXL YZ such that
line WX is 5 cm long
Investigate! and line YZ is 55 mm

long.
shown on line MAN.
MN. Mark nine points as
X is point above the line
a
line.
line MN. Measure the length of each
Join point X to each point on

N
M 4 5
6 7 8 9
2 3
1

point X to line AB?

distance from
Which line is the shortest

the
conclude that constructing
we can
activity,
n e Investigate!
perpendicular from the point to
shortest distance
to find the
point to a line allow us
Trom a
the line. midpoint and
that passes through the
line
ofthe line.
drawing a
as bisector
line is the same
On a line, or the perpendicular
dta right angle to the

315
 Perpendicular
from a point
1211
to a line
draw a line throuah dA
trom line BC,
distance away
Given point A is a

perpendicular to BC.
A.
Place the pointed
tip on point distance from point
Step a little
wider than the point a
A to the
Open the compasses
line on either side
of point A
crosses the
that
line. Mark an arc
arcs cross the line as points B and C
the
Draw the lines long enough Label the points where
to add the arcs you need
during construction.

in turn, and draw arcs that

pointed tip on points B and C,
cros
Gtep Place the
below the line. These two arcs must
have the same radius, but it can be
different from the radius used in Step 1.
Label the point where the arcs intersect as point D.
A

Srep Drawa straight line from point A to the line such that it extends to point D
using a ruler.
Spotlight
A
Check out the construction in
action:

This is the
You can use
perpendicular from a given point to a line.
is 90
a
protractor to check that the angle at which the two lines et

316 UNIT 13 Geometrical Constructions

Example 1

triangle XYZ such that XY = 9 cm, YZ

=10 cm and XZ
Construct
= 11 cm.
Coctruct
onstruct a line that passes
a
through point Y and which is
Label the point of intersection with XZ as W. perpendicular to XZ.
b)Measurethe shortest distance from point Y to XZ to the 1 decimal place in
centimetres.

Find the
area
of triangle XYYZ.
Solution

9 cm 10 cm
Construct the diagram on
your own to measure the
length of WY

w Not drawn to scale

11 cm

b) Length of line segment wY 7.7 cm

Area of triangle XYZ =5 x base x height

x XZ x WY

=x 11x77
= 42.35 cm

Check My
Understanding
R 4 cm below the line.
Draw line ST 10 cm long. Mark a point
a
line ST.
through point R to
Constructa perpendicular passing

Construct a circle of radius 4 cm.

circumference of the circle.

a) Mark point P on the
a
perpendicular to
line that passes through point P and is
D) Construct a
the diameter.
above line XY and
Mark a point Z 3.5 cm
Draw a line XY=7 cm. line XY. Join point Z to
from point Z to the
Construct a perpendicular XYZ?
What type of triangle is triangle
points X and Y.
6 cm and
that PS = QR =

C o n s t r u c t parallelogram
PQRS such construct
Then
S R =8 cm. Draw one
of the diagonals.
vertices to that
diagonal.
two
perpendiculars from the other
 212 Perpendicular from a point
on a line
Given point W on a line, draw a perpendicular on XY
Place your pointed tip on point
W.
tep
Open the compasses and mark an arc that crosses the line or
er
point W.
Label the points where the arcs croSS the ine as points X and y

W becomes a midpoint between X and Y.

X W Y

Step Open the compass a little wider than in Step 1.

Place the pointed tip on points X and Y, in
turn, and draw
above the line. These two arcs must have the arcs that cro
same radius.
Label the point where the arcs intersect as
Z. point

X W Y

GoR Use a
straight edge to draw a straight line from
point Z to point w.

Spotlight
Check out the
action: construction in

DO X
W
Y
This is the
perpendicular from
protractor to checkpoint
You can use a
is 90
a on a
line
that the angle at which the two meet
ne
UNIT 13 Geometrical Constructions
Example 2

Drawa line
line RS 7 cm long. Mark a
point Ton line RS such
Constru
a
perpendicular
line
Extend the line PT to
to line RS
that passes that TR 3.5 cm. Spotlight
point Q such that PT TQ. through point P 2.5 cm away.
=
Wha is the shape PRQS that Join the four Try drawing an engineering
lines.
you have constructed? points with straight plan of the Brooklyn Bridge:

Solution

R 3.5 cm
T
7 cm

2.5 cm

R 3.5 cm -S R
2.5 cm

Not drawn to scale

Q
Q

PRQS is a rhombus.

Check My
Understanding
line MN.
long. Mark a point L on the
Draw a line MN 12 cm
through
to MN and passes
Construct a line that is perpendicular
point L.
GH.
long. Mark the midpoint of line
vertical line GH 10
cm to
Draw a are perpendicular
Construct three lines that that
Label it point F. What is the letter
points F, G and H.
and pass through
line GH
you have constructed?
Journal Writing
lines each 5
cm long that
5 cm. Construct two W and X. Perpendicular lines are
Draw a line WX through points
=

and pass
to line
WX
straight line. intersecting lines.
are p e r p e n d i c u l a r
Join Y and Z with a
Y and Z. C o n s t r u c t the However, not all
Label the endpoints its midpoint S.
VWY and
mark S. Does intersecting lines are
through point
Draw the diagonal that passes perpendicular. Is this
WY
p e r p e n d i c u l a r to
diagonal X and Z?
through points statement true or false?
pass line DE that is
the
perpendicular
perpendicular to with a
Justify your answer.

long.
Draw a
points E and F
line DE 12
cm Join
Draw a D.
through point
and passes
9cm long line EF?
long is
straight line.
How
819
 CHAPTER 13.2
In this Chapter
Pupils should be able to:
use a straight edge and
compasses to inscribe
Inscribing Shapes in
squares, equilateral
triangles, and regular
hexagons and octagons
by constructing equal
divisions of a circle
Circles
In Stage 8, we learnt to construct circles. In Stage 9 Unit 7, we learnt some.special
circle properties that can help us
angle properties in circles. What are some
construct regular polygons?

RECALL Investigate!
Find the value of each
interior angle in each a) Construct a circle with centre O, and point X on the circle. Divide the
regular polygon: circle into 3 equal sectors, like ina pie chart, each measuring 120.
a) equilateral triangle What regular polygon can be formed in this circle using the sectors?
b) square
b) Construct a circle with centre O, and point Y on the circle. Draw a
)hexagon
d) octagon horizontal diameter. Then construct the perpendicular bisector of the
horizontal diameter to get a vertical diameter. Bisect the
Constructa right-angled right angles
created by the diameters. Connect the endpoints of the two
triangle in a semicircle diagonal
diameters. What regular polygon is created?
Construct a cyclic
quadrilateral.

1321
Inscribing by marking arcs
Spotlight Example 1
Draw circle with a radius of 2.5
a
Why are manhole covers
round? construct an inscribed
cm.
Using a straight edge and compasses,
hexagon.
Solution
GkeR Using a compass, draw a circle with a 2.5 cm
2.5 Mark the centre of
cm. radius of
the circle with a dot.
StOR Divide 360° by the
number of
2 of each sector in the vertices 6 to get the angle
polygon: 360 6 60°.

820 UNIT 13 Geometrical Constructions

 Using a protractor, mark on the
circumference
of the circle all the multiples of the
calculated in Step 2. angle Amazing
Mathematician
Join the points marked on the circle with line
step.

O
segments to form a regular hexagon inscribed in a circle.

Check My
Understanding E At the age of 19,
Johann Carl Friedrich
Gauss a German
A Draw a circle with a radius of 3 cm. Use a straight edge and mathematician,
compasses to construct an inscribed equilateral triangle. revealed that a regular
polygon can be drawn
Construct an inscribed regular hexagon inscribed in a circle with radius using a compass and
5 cm. Draw a circle inside the hexagon so that it touches all sides of the straight edge if the
hexagon. Use the two circles to estimate the area of the hexagon. number of sides is
the product of special
Construct the geometric pattern using a straight edge, a protractor and Fermat primes and has
compasses. a power of 2. He was

also a numberphile:

radius R = 4 cm, and

inscribed in a circle with
The figure shows a square
a circle inscribed in the square.
to
the length marked r
to scale. Then
measure

a) Construct the figure

the nearest centimetres.
inscribed in the square.
of the circle
Then estimate the
area
b)
 32 Inscribing by drawing diameta
ters
Example 2
Draw a circle with a radius of 2.5 cm. Using a straight edge and compastaa
construct an inscribed octagon.
asses,

Solution
steg Using the compasses, draw a circle with a radius of
2.5 cm. Mark the centre of the circle with a dot.

Journal Writing
StOR Using the compasses, construct a diameter and the
4
A
triangle, a
square, a
perpendicular bisector of the diameter.
regular hexagon and
a
regular octagon are
inscribed in the same circle.
What is the difference
between the areas of SreR Bisect the quadrants of the circle to divide it into
a) the circle and the
eight sectors.
triangle?
b) the circle and the
Square? Skep Connect the endpoints of the four
diameters to
form a regular
the circle and the octagon.
hexagon?
d) the circle and the Check My
octagon? Understanding
O Draw a circle with radius 2 cm.
a
straight edge and compasses. Construct an inscribed square using
Construct a regular
using a straight edgeoctagon
and
inscribed in a circle of radius S cm
compasses.
3 Lee and Rea each constructed
a
3 cm and 6 cm square inscribed in circles of
What do you notice? respectively.
a) What is the ratio of
radi
the area of the
Explain.
square Rea constructed?square Lee constructed to the
area of the
As the number of sides b) Ash constructed a
of any square in a circle of radius 9
regular polygon estimate for the area cm. Work out an
inscribed in the circle of the
square Ash constructed.
increases, what would Construct geometric pattern
a

happen to the difference regular octagon and involving

a
a
in the areas straight edge and compasses assquare using a
between the
circle and the n-sided shown.
polygon?

022 UNIT 13
Geometrical Constructions
 CHAPTER 13.3
In this Chapter
to
Pupils hould be atble
prawing a Locus findlocusbyofreavoning the
a point that
moves at a given distance
from a fixed point, or at
froma
a given distance
dropped or
sveyou lost something betore? How
do you search for it? For fixed straight ine
f you lose
amgie, if
a fing orh à
Deacn, how do you know where to
start looking
arrow down the area to search)
Can you
aoter, we are going to determine that area bounded by some conditions
ths chapte

pararmeters The area s called a locus

RECALL

Investigate! Construct a line XY

such
parallel to line MN
that they are 2 cm apart
shows a square garden with a walled perimeter. Pitt wants
The diagram
somewhere near point C, but it must be at least 3
m 2 Construct a 4.5-cm line
plant a mango tree and its perpendicula
to

from the corner so that

the tree has space to grow. He wants the tree bisector
way
to be
nearer wall CD than wall AB

10m

Pitt's house

0 m

tree can be planted

where the
Shade the region The locus is a set of points
of
that satisfies a given set
be, we are plural of locus
whefe afn object might conditions. The
locations
possible
wnen we talk about
finding the describes all the is loci
locus of any object a line or a
its locus. The be a region,
conditions. It
can
RTally finding
satistying given
Stions it can be in,

DOint
Think and Share

apartment using
or
location of a shop
describing
the train
station "What
We of the
e c
Orten hear people radius on your
within 2-m drawing)
"It is (scale find
radius 2
m
For example: can you
s of amenities

Construct a circle What

oeSt mean?
centre.

station
as the
a train
m a p , using
Within that circular area
 1331 Points at
given point
a fixed distance
from
Example 1
Xis a fixed point. Drawthe locus of points that are exactly 3 cm away from
m
point X.

Solution
Use a compass to draw a circle of radius 3 cm with centre X.

The locus of points at a fixed

3 cm
distance from a
given point
is circle whose centre is the
a
fixed point and whose radius
is the fixed distance.

All the points inside the circle are less than

3 cm from point X.
All thepoints outside the circle are more than 3 cm from
All the point X.
points on the circle are exactly 3 cm from point X. So, the
required locus of points. circle is the

Check My
Understanding
a) Draw the locus of
points that are 4.5 cm away from
b) Draw the locus of point O.
points that are exactly 6 cm away from
point P.
2 A cow is tied to
a post of a
long and 5 m wide. When the rectangular grass patch that is 8 m
rope is taut, the cow can reach the
opposite post along the breadth.
the cow can reach Draw the locus of
when the rope is taut. points that
represent 1 m. Use a scale of 1 cm to

Mary is looking to rent a

Richmond metro station. house within a radius of 1.8 m from the
Draw a scale
region where she should be drawing and shade the
looking for a house.

324 UNIT 13 Geometrical Constructions

 Points
13.3.2
fixed distance from
at a a
straight line

Example 2

t h e locus of points that are exactly 4 cm away from a given line.

Drav

Solution
Usinga ruler, on either
side of the given line, measure and mark two points that
from the line.
are 4
cm
lines.
Then ioin the points
on each side of the given line to draw two parallel The locus of points
at a fixed
distance from a straight line
lines at
is a pair of parallel
4 cm A straight line has infinite length, so the locus of points from the
4 cm the fixed distance
straight line.
also has infinite length.
4 cm
4 Cm

from the given line. We can also use a set square

within the two parallel lines are less than 4 cm
All the points to draw the parallel lines.
the given line.
the two parallel lines are more than 4 cm from
All the points beyond
lines are exactly 4 cm from the given line. So,
All the points on the two parallel
the required locus of points.
the parallel lines are

from
1333 Points at a fixed distance
a

line segment

Example 3
2.5 from a given line segment AB.
points that are exactly
cm
Draw the locus of

Solution The locus of points at a

locus 2.5 around points A and B. fixed distance from a line
Drawthe cm
segment is a pair of parallel
lines at the fixed distance
above and below line AB. from the Iine segment, and
Sre Draw 2 parallel lines 2.5 cm two semicircles with the two
endpoints as the centre andd
the fixed distance as the radii.

2.5 cm
The line segment AB has
2.5 cm 2.5cm endpoints A and B.
B
A

2.5 cm

circles meet the parallel lines. Erase the

Ve get the complete locus where the
emaining arcs on the circles.
 ess than
less
and
s e m i c i r c l e s
are
2.5 crm
lines
two parallel
within the
All the points are more tha
segment.
given line
semicircles

Check My trom the

the two parallel
lines and

beyond
Understanding All the points
line segment. are exactly 2.5 cm fro
from the given semiCircles
ne
lines and
Draw the locus of points the two parallel locus of points.
O All the points on
the required
that are exactly 5.2 cm
segment. So, this is
given line
awayfroma straight
line.

Drawthe locus of points Same distance

that are exactly 3 cm 1324 Points at the
away from the line
segment XY that is 8 cm
from two points
long.
8The length of each side Example 4
of a square park is 12 m.
Draw the locus of all the the same distance away from points P and O
Draw the locus of points that are
points that are exactly
3m away from two
opposite sides of the
park.
A gardener wishes to
grow a row of maple
trees 4 m away from the Solution
edge of the trapezoid
For points that are always the same distance away from 2 points, the locus must
garden shown.
be exactly in between the points.

6 m 8 m

10 m
Q
a) Draw a scale drawing
of the garden.
b) Construct the locus
of all the
points that This line is a
perpendicular bisector of the line PQ.
exactly 4 m away
are
from the edge of the The locus ofpoints that are equidistant
garden. perpendicular bisector of PQ. away from both points, P and Q, is the

The locus of points

equidistant from two points Journal Nriting
is the
perpendicular bisector
of the line
segment formed Is it
by joining the two points. possible to drawa set of
of an points that follows a
ellipse? State the function
that given rule in the shape
would give rise to this scenario.

326 UNIT 13 Geometrical Constructions

Check My
Understanding

Points A and B are 4.8 cm

apart. Draw the locus of
two points. all the points that are equidistant from t e
a Awind turbine is 25 m high. It must be located
the height of the turbine. Draw the at a distance from
tvvo houses that is 10 times
locus of all the
located. points where the wind turbine can be

aDraw the locus of points equidistant

from 2 points labelled C and D.

Revision

Draw aline MN 4.5 cm long. Mark a

point on 7Points P and Q are 7.5 cm apart. Construct the
MN. Label it L. Construct a
perpendicular locus of points that are equidistant from both
to line MN that passes through point L.
points P and O.
PointsX and Y lie above and below line PO
8Draw the locus of points that are 2 cm away
respectively. Construct 2 perpendiculars to from a straight line CD that is 7.5 cm long
line PQ that pass through points X and Y.

X
Drawa ine segment LM 5.8 cm long. Draw
the locus of points that are 5 cm frorm line
segment LM.

10 Challenge! Drawa line AB 4 cm long.

Construct and shade the locus of all the points
Q that are less than 2 cm from line AB.

1 Sidewalks are paved at a distance of 5 m from

Y
the middle of a road. Construct the locus of
Use a straight edge and compassesto points that are 5 m away from the middle of
construct a regular octagon and a regular the road.
hexagon inscribed in a circle of radius 8 cm.
12 A eucalyptus tree is planted in the centre
Use a straight edge and compasses to of a garden that is 10 m long and 8 m wide.
Construct a regular hexagon ABCDEF A fence that is 2 m from the tree will be
inscribed in the circle as shown. erected. Shade the locus of points where
roses can be planted outside the fence in the
If OE = 4 cm and DF = A

7 cm, find the area of garden.

hexagon ABCDEF. BChallenge! Draw an equilateral triangle ABC
with sides 3 cm. Construct the locus of points
inside triangle ABC that are closer to side AC
than to side AB.
D
Challenge! Inscribe a square in a circle of
diameter 10 cm. Shade the region between
Draw the locus of the points exactly 5
cm
the circle and the square.
away from a point P. a) Measure the length of the square.
that are
O Challenge! Draw the locus of points b) Find the area of the square.
A.
not more than 3 cm from a point,
) Find the area of the circle.
 d) Find the difference
between the area of Challenge! Prove that if two lines are
the circle and the area of the perpendicular to the same line, they are
square.
e) Find the ratio of the area parallel to each other.
of the circle to
the area of the square.
1B Challenge! Power line towers P and Q are
Challenge! Construct equilateral triangle
DEF such that DE EF
an 80 ft apart. It is safe to build houses at least
DF 5 = = =
cm. Construct 50 ft away from each tower.
perpendiculars that pass through each vertex a) Make a scale drawing of the
to the side
opposite of it. What do you position of the
observe? power line towers.
b)Drawthe locus of all the points that are at
Challenge!
PQ 6
Construct triangle PQR such that
=
least 50 ft away from tower P.
cm, QR 8 cm and PR 10 cm.
=

a)Construct a perpendicular to line PR that cDrawthe locus of al the points that are at
least 50 ft away from tower Q.
passes through point Q. Label it S.
b) Measure the distance d) What do you notice about the locus
of
Find the area of
QS. points that are at least 50 ft away from the
triangle PQR. towers P and Q?

9 Challenge! Draw the capital letters

locus of all the V, L and X as shown on a piece of square grid paper. Draw
points that are 1 unit from each letter. the
a)
b)

Mathematics Connect
Why are manhole covers
R
easier to round? Round
manufacture than square or shapes are
shapes. Since manhole rectangular
circular allows us to covers are heavy, it being9
roll them from one
another with place to
minimum
barrels are round! effort, just like why water
Moreover, a round
corners so it does manhole cover does not have
not need to be
the hole. It will
not fall
rotated to align t
no matter
how you through its opening,
becau
the hole position it, the cover is wider
ledge. The diameters of e
have the same the round cover
828 UNIT 13 length no matter how you it.
Geometrical Constructions orientd
n s t
cting perpendicular line through a
given point
A
Help
Sheet

Through a given point A

not on the line BC Through a given point A
on the line
BC

scribing polygons in circles

360 4 = 90
1. Work out 360°+ no.
of sides.
2. Use protractor to draw arcs or lines to
603 = 120° mark out the vertices of the polygons.

3605=52°

OR:
1. Construct perpendicular bisector of a
diameter in the circle.
Construct angle bisectors.

Locus

KA A
A

|Locus of all points exactly 5 cm from A. |Locus of all points less than 5 cm away Locus of all points more than 5,cm away
from A. from A.

B KA
A B

less than 3 cm fromA|Locus of all points closer to B and less

from A Locus of all points than 3 cm from A.
OCUs of all points equidistant and less than
3 cm from B.
and B
B B

B B all points nearer to Locus of all points equidistant

A |Locus of
|Locus of all points closer to AB than AC. to AB and AC.
OCus of all points equidistant
e
omAD Points
rom AB and CD. than B.
 UNIT 14

Transforma
Fomation fying commonly
move in tgt seen at an air show, is a rea
manoeres across the sky from one
Ordinate points on a point
follow the leader, to grid displaced at the same distan
maintain a constant position relati
In this You will learn
about
unit
Using a coordinate
grid to solve
Recognising that translations, problems i
enlargements result in similar rotations ane
Enlarging 20 shapes images
ldentifying the scale factor of an
corresponding line segments enlargem
Transforming 2D shapes using
Describing transformations precisely
combinatio