CEE 111

Engineering Drawing
GEOMETRIC CONSTRUCTION

Instructor: Dr. Pradhi Rajeev

 Topics to be Covered

Lines, Angles, Arcs

Polygon (regular)
Inscribed circle
Conic sections
Cycloidal curves
Involutes
 Lines

Lines are straight elements that have no width, but are infinite in
length (magnitude), and they can be located by two points which
are not on the same spot but fall along the line.

Parallel lines: Straight lines and curved lines are considered

parallel if the shortest distance between them remains constant.
The symbol used for parallel line is //.

Perpendicular lines: Lines, which are tangent and at 900 are

considered perpendicular. The symbol for perpendicular line is ⊥.
 Parallel Lines
How to Draw a Line Parallel to a Straight Line at a
Given Distance

Given: Line A-B, and a required distance to the

parallel line.
Step 1: Mark two points on line AB, as far apart as
convenient.
Step 2: Draw arcs on the same side of AB setting
the compass at the required distance keeping the
two points as centers.
Step 3: Draw the line just touching the two arcs.
Or
Step 1: Set the compass at the required distance to
the parallel line. Place the point of the compass at
any location on the given line, and swing a light arc.

Step 2: Adjust the straight edge of either a drafting machine or an adjusted triangle so
that it lines up with line A-B, slide the straight edge up or down to the extreme high point,
which is the tangent point, of the arc, then draw the parallel line.
How to Draw a Line Parallel to a Straight Line through a
given point.

Given: Line A-B, and P is the point.

Step 1: With centre P and any convenient radius, draw an arc
CD cutting AB at E.
Step 2: With centre E and same radius, draw arc cutting AB at
F.
Step 3: With centre E and radius equal to FP, draw arc cutting
CD at Q.
Step 4: Draw a straight line through P and Q.
 Perpendicular Line
How to Draw a Perpendicular
Line to a Line at a Point (near the
middle of line)

Given: Line A-B with point P on the

same line.
Step 1: Using P as a center, make
two arcs of equal radius or more
continuous arc (R1) to intercept line
A-B on either side of point P, at
points S and T.
Step 2: Swing larger but equal arcs
(R2) from each of points S and T to
cross each other at point U.
Step 3: A line from P to U is
perpendicular to line A-B at point P.
 Perpendicular Line
How to Draw a Perpendicular to
a Line at a Point (near the end of
line)

Given: Line A-B with point P on

the same line.
Step 1: Swing an arc of radius OP
whose center O is at any convenient
location NOT on line A-B.

Step 2: A line from point Q through

center O intercepts the opposite
side of the arc at point R.

Step 3: Line R-P is perpendicular to

line A-B (A right angle has been
inscribed in a semi circle)
 Dividing a Line
How to divide a line into number of equal parts

Given: Line A-B

Step 1: Draw a construction line AC that starts at end A of given line AB. This new line is
longer than the given line and makes an angle of not more than 30 degree with it.

Step 2: Find a scale or divider that will approximately divide the line AB in to the number of
parts needed and mark these divisions on the line AC. There are now ‘n’ equal divisions from A
to D that lie on the line AC.

Step 3: Set the adjustable triangle to draw a construction line from point D to point B. Then
draw construction lines through each of the remaining ‘n-1’ divisions parallel to the first line BD
by sliding the triangle along the straight edge. The original line AB will now be accurately
divided.
 Bisecting an Angle
Given: Angle BAC

Step 1: Set the compass at any convenient radius and swing an arc from point A.

Step 2: Locate points E and F on the legs of the angle, and swing two arcs of the same
identical length from points E and F, respectively.

Step 3: Where these arcs intersect, locate point D. Draw a straight line from A to D.
This line will bisect angle BAC and establish two equal angles: CAD and BAD.
 Arc
How to Draw an Arc or Circle Through Three
Given Points

Given: Three points in space at random: A, B and

C
Step 1: With straight line, lightly connect points A
to B, and B to C.

Step 2: Using the method outlined for bisecting a

line, bisect lines A-B and B-C.

Step 3: Locate point X where the two extended

bisectors meet. Point X is the exact center of the
arc or circle.

Step 4: Place the point of the compass on point X

and adjust the lead to any of the points A, B, or C
(they are the same distance), and swing the circle.
 Polygons (Regular)

Triangle
Quadrangle
Pentagon
Hexagon
 Triangle
How to Draw a Triangle with Known Lengths of Sides

Given: Lengths 1, 2, and 3 of the three sides

Step 1: Draw the longest length line, say length 3, with ends A and B. Swing an arc (R1) from point
A whose radius is either length 1 or length 2.
Step 2: Using the radius length not used in step 1, swing an arc (R2) from point B to intercept the
arc swung from point A at point C.
Step 3: Connect A to C and B to C to complete the triangle.
 Square
How to Draw a Square
Given: The locations of the center and the length of the sides of a square
Step 1: Lightly draw a circle with a diameter equal to the length of the sides of the square. Set the
compass at half the required diameter.
Step 2: Lightly complete the square by constructing tangent lines to the circle. Allow the light
construction lines to project from the square, with out erasing them.
Step 3: Check to see that there are four equal sides and, if so, darken in the actual square using the
correct line thickness.
Other method:

I. Draw line AB equal to the given length.

II. At A, draw a line AE perpendicular to

AB.

III. With centre A and radius AB, draw an

arc cutting AE at D.

IV. With centres Band D and same radius,

draw arcs intersecting at C.

V. Draw lines joining C with Band D.

 Pentagon
How to Draw a Pentagon

Given: The locations of the pentagon center and the diameter that will circumscribe the
pentagon.

Step 1: Bisect radius OD at C.

Step 2: With C as center, and CA as radius, strike arc AE. With A as center, and AE as radius,
strike arc EB.
Step 3: Draw line AB, then set off distances AB around the circumference of the circle, and draw
the sides through these points.
 Pentagon
How to Draw a Pentagon

Given: The length of the sides of the pentagon.

Step 1: Draw two circles with A and B as centers and radius AB.
Step 2: Draw arc EF with center C and with radius AB.
Step 3: Draw perpendicular to line AB. Mark point G. Draw line RF and PE passing through G.
Step 4: Taking AB as radius draw arc from P and R to obtain Q. Join points ABPQR.

.
 Hexagon
How to Draw a Hexagon

Given: The length of the sides of the hexagon.

Step 1: We start with a line segment AF. This will become one side of the hexagon.
Step 2: Set the compasses' point on A, and set its width to F.
Step 3: From points A and F, draw two arcs so that they intersect. Mark this as point O.
This is the center of the hexagon's circumcircle. Move the compasses to O and draw a
circle.

Step 4: Move the compasses on to A and draw an

arc across the circle. This is the next vertex of the
.
hexagon. Move the compasses to this arc and
draw an arc across the circle to create the next
vertex. Continue in this way until you have all
six vertices. (Four new ones plus the points A
and F you started with.). Draw a line between
each successive pairs of vertices.
 Regular Polygon of Any Number of Sides
Given: Any sided Regular Polygon inside a given circle.
• To construct a regular polygon with a specific number of sides, divide the given
diameter using the parallel line method as shown in fig below.
• In this example, let us assume seven sided regular polygon.
• Construct an equilateral triangle (0-7-8) with the diameter (0-7) as one of its sides.
• Draw a line from the apex (point 8)
. through the second point on the line
(point 2). Extend line 8-2 until it
intersects the circle at point 9.
• Radius 0-9 will be the size of each
side of the figure.
• Using radius 0-9 step off the corners
of the seven sides polygon and
connect the points.
 Regular Polygon of Any Number of Sides
Given: The length of the sides of the Polygon.

(i) Draw a line AB equal to the given length.

(ii) At B, draw a line BP perpendicular and equal to AB.
.
(iii) Draw a line joining A with P.
(iv) With centre B and radius AB, draw the quadrant AP.
(v) Draw the perpendicular bisector of AB to intersect the
straight line AP in 4 and the arc AP in 6.

(a) A square of a side equal to AB can be inscribed in the

circle drawn with centre 4 and radius A4.

(b) A regular hexagon of a side equal to AB can be

inscribed in the circle drawn with centre 6 and radius A6.

(c) The mid-point 5 of the line 4-6 is the centre of the

circle of the radius AS in which a regular pentagon of a
side equal to AB can be inscribed.
(d) To locate centre 7 for the regular heptagon of side AB, step-off a division 6-7
equal to the division 5-6.

(i) With centre 7 and radius equal to A7, draw a circle.

(ii) Starting from B, cut it in seven equal divisions with radius equal to AB.
(iii) Draw lines BC, CD etc. and complete the heptagon.
Regular polygons of any number of sides can be drawn by this

Alternative method:
I. On AB as diameter, draw a semi circle.
II. With either A or B as centre and AB as
radius, draw an arc on the same side of the
semi-circle.
III. Draw perpendicular bisector of AB cutting
the semi-circle at point 4 and the arc at
point 6.
IV. Obtain points 5, 7, 8 etc. as explained in the
above method.