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An illustration showing how to construct a circle arc without recourse to its center, but its chord AB and height h being given. "With the chord as radius, and A and B as centers, draw the dotted circle arcs AC and BD. Through the point O draw the lines AOo and BOo. Make the arcs Co=Ao and Do=Bo. Divide these arcs into any desired number of equal parts, and number them as shown on the illustration. Join A and B with the divisions, and the crossings of equal numbers are points in the circle arc."

Construction Of A Circle Arc

An illustration showing how to construct a circle arc without recourse to its center, but its chord…

An illustration showing how to construct a cyma, or two circle arcs that will tangent themselves, and two parallel lines at given points A and B. "Join A and B; divide AB into four equal parts and erect perpendiculars. Draw Am at right angles from A, and Bn at right angles from B; then m and n are the centers of the circle arcs of the required cyma."

Construction Of A Cyma

An illustration showing how to construct a cyma, or two circle arcs that will tangent themselves, and…

An illustration showing how to construct an isometric ellipse by compass and six circle arcs. "Divide OA and OB each into three equal parts; draw the quadrant AC. From C, draw the line Cc through the point 1. Through the points 2 draw de at an angle of 45° with the major axis. Then 2 is the center for the ends of the ellipse; e is the center for the arc dc; and C is the center for the arc cf."

Construction Of An Isometric Ellipse

An illustration showing how to construct an isometric ellipse by compass and six circle arcs. "Divide…

An illustration showing how to construct a talon, or two circle arcs that will tangent themselves, and meet two parallel lines at right angles in the given points A and B. "Join A and B; divide AB into four equal parts erect perpendiculars; then m and n are the centers of the circle arcs of the required talon."

Construction Of A Talon

An illustration showing how to construct a talon, or two circle arcs that will tangent themselves, and…

"Draw one and one-half inch square about center of space. Divide AE into four 3/16" spaces, with scale. With bow pencil and centers A, B, C, D draw four semicircles with 3/8" radius and so on. Complete the figure by drawing the horizontal and vertical tangents as shown." —French, 1911

Drawing Tangent to Circle Arcs with Bow Compass

"Draw one and one-half inch square about center of space. Divide AE into four 3/16" spaces, with scale.…