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Compass and straightedge construction facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Geom compass ruler
Ruler and compass

Compass-and-straightedge or ruler-and-compass construction is drawing of lengths, angles or shapes using only a ruler and compass. Some things cannot be drawn this way. For example, there are only 32 regular polygons with an uneven number of sides which are known to be constructible. It has been proven that a square with the same area as the area of a circle can not be constructed. This is called "Squaring the circle".

Images for kids

  • Regular Hexagon Inscribed in a Circle 240px

    Creating a regular hexagon with a straightedge and compass

  • Régua e compasso

    Straightedge and compass

  • Cyrkiel RB1

    A compass

  • Pentagon construct

    Construction of a regular pentagon

  • Trisectionofstraightedge

    Trisection of a straight edge procedure.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Regla y compás para niños

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Compass and straightedge construction Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.