In various constructions, you need to use the longer of two segments to construct the radius of a circle. Why do you think this is? What happens if you use the shorter segment?

Question

anonymous · Answer

is this a rectangle?

ranga · Answer

If you draw arcs using the shorter segment from the end points the arcs will not intersect.  With longer segment the arcs will intersect.

For example to draw the perpendicular bisector of a line AB, you set the radius slightly longer than half the length of AB.  Then you can draw two arcs on either side of AB from point a and two arcs from point B.  Join the points of intersecting arcs and you get the perpendicular bisector.

ranga · Answer

The problem will be clearer if just one example of the "various constructions" is given.

goformit100 · Answer

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