This page shows how to draw a perpendicular at a point on a line with compass and straightedge or ruler. It works by effectively creating two congruent triangles and then drawing a line between their vertices.
Printable step-by-step instructions
The above animation is available as a printable step-by-step instruction sheet, which can be used for making handouts or when a computer is not available.
Proof
This construction works by effectively building two congruent triangles. The image below is the final drawing above with the red lines added.
| Argument | Reason | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Segment KP is congruent to KQ | They were both drawn with the same compass width |
| 2 | Segment PR is congruent to QR | They were both drawn with the same compass width |
| 3 | Triangles ∆KRP and ∆KRQ are congruent | Three sides congruent (sss). KR is common to both. |
| 4 | Angles PKR, QKR are congruent | CPCTC. Corresponding parts of congruent triangles are congruent |
| 5 | Angles PKR QKR are both 90° | They are a linear pair and (so add to 180°) and congruent (so each must be 90°) |
- Q.E.D
Try it yourself
Click here for a printable construction worksheet containing two 'perpendiculars from a point' problems to try. When you get to the page, use the browser print command to print as many as you wish. The printed output is not copyright.Other constructions pages on this site
Lines
- Introduction to constructions
- Copy a line segment
- Sum of n line segments
- Difference of two line segments
- Perpendicular bisector of a line segment
- Perpendicular at a point on a line
- 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)
- Parallel line through a point (rhombus)
- Parallel line through a point (translation)
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)
- Sum of n angles
- Difference of two angles
- Supplementary angle
- Complementary 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
- Isosceles triangle, given leg and apex angle
- Equilateral triangle
- 30-60-90 triangle, given the hypotenuse
- Triangle, given 3 sides (sss)
- Triangle, given one side and adjacent angles (asa)
- Triangle, given two angles and non-included side (aas)
- Triangle, given two sides and included angle (sas)
- Triangle medians
- Triangle midsegment
- Triangle altitude
- Triangle altitude (outside case)
Right triangles
- Right Triangle, given one leg and hypotenuse (HL)
- Right Triangle, given both legs (LL)
- Right Triangle, given hypotenuse and one angle (HA)
- Right Triangle, given one leg and one angle (LA)
Triangle Centers
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
- Tangents to two circles (external)
- Tangents to two circles (internal)
- Incircle of a triangle
- Focus points of a given ellipse
- Circumcircle of a triangle
Polygons
- Square given one side
- Square inscribed in a circle
- Hexagon given one side
- Hexagon inscribed in a given circle
- Pentagon inscribed in a given circle
Non-Euclidean constructions
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