Being able to construct a perpendicular bisector is important when we start constructing inscribed triangles and squares. Take a moment to work through the following slides to review how this construction is done.
Step 1
Place the compass at one end of the line segment. Adjust the compass so that it is more than half of the segment length. Draw an arc above and below the line. Step 2
Keeping the length of the compass the same, repeat the process using the other end point of the segment. Step 3
Use a straight edge to draw the perpendicular bisector using the points you just created. |
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Question
What are the properties of a perpendicular bisector?
The perpendicular bisector always divides the original segment into two congruent segments. The original segment and the perpendicular bisector form a right angle at the point of intersection.
