There is a need for students to understand and be able to
construct geometric figures using a compass and straightedge. While using a drawing program is easier and
faster you need to know how to construct geometric figures using a compass and
a straightedge. You could be in a situation where your device that has the
drawing program is not working. You may need to make adjustments to your
figures and doing it with a compass and straightedge might be better. Compass
and straightedge are simple to use and easy to understand. People have been
using them for many years so why stop know. First to use a compass and straightedge was
Eqclid. Three postulates number one a straight line maybe drawn from any point
to any other point, number two a continuous line can be represented, number
three a circle with any center and distance maybe described. The three problems that a straightedge and
compass can’t solve are trisecting an angle dubbing a cube and squaring a
circle. But with a drawing program you can solve these problems. Pie is a transcendental number and therefor
would not work with a rational polynomial equation. Compass and straightedge more freedom in how
you want your work to be done, easier to learn, always has hard copy right there
as you draw. A drawing program depends too much on the program you won’t
understand as fast and as much, need to learn to use the program and its
functions/tools, possible unnoticed glitch, could back fire and crash or shut
off without saving work, restricted to only whatever tools and functions the
program offers.
A compass and
a straight edge: the history of geometric constructions by Greg funk
Compass & straightedge VS.
Graphics program
