Constructing the perpendicular bisector of a line segment

	After doing this	Your work should look like this
	Start with a line segment PQ.
1	Place the compass on one end of the line segment.
2	Set the compass width to a approximately two thirds the line length. The actual width does not matter.
3	Without changing the compass width, draw an arc above and below the line.
4	Again without changing the compass width, place the compass point on the the other end of the line. Draw an arc above and below the line so that the arcs cross the first two.
5	Using a straightedge, draw a line between the points where the arcs intersect.
6	Done. This line is perpendicular to the first line and bisects it (cuts it at the exact midpoint of the line).

Constructions pages on this site

Lines

• Introduction to constructions
• List of printable constructions worksheets
• Copy a line segment
• Perpendicular bisector of a line segment
• Perpendicular from a line at a point
• Perpendicular from a line through a point
• Perpendicular from endpoint of a ray
• Divide a segment into n equal parts
• Parallel line through a point (angle copy method)
• Parallel line through a point (rhombus method)

Angles

• Bisecting an angle
• Copy an angle
• Construct a 30° angle
• Construct a 45° angle
• Construct a 60° angle
• Construct a 90° angle (right angle)
• Constructing  75°  105°  120°  135°  150° angles and more

Triangles

• Copy a triangle
• Isosceles triangle, given base and side
• Isosceles triangle, given base and altitude
• Equilateral triangle
• Triangle medians
• 30-60-90 triangle, given the hypotenuse
• Triangle, given 3 sides (sss)
• Triangle, given one side and adjacent angles (asa)
• Triangle, given two sides and included angle (sas)
• Incircle of a triangle
• Circumcircle of a triangle

Triangle Centers

• Triangle incenter
• Triangle circumcenter
• Triangle orthocenter
• Triangle centroid

Circles, Arcs and Ellipses

• Finding the center of a circle
• Circle given 3 points
• Tangent at a point on the circle
• Tangents through an external point
• Focus points of a given ellipse

Polygons

• Hexagongiven one side
• Hexagon inscribed in a given circle
• Pentagon inscribed in a given circle

Non-Euclidean constructions

• Construct an ellipse with string and pins
• Find the center of a circle with any right-angled object