Ruler & Compass: Practical Geometric Constructions (Wooden Books North America Editions)

Super cool book with useful instructions on drawing various shapes. I feel like I'm stepping back into the 16th century.

Excellent and informative book, I highly recommend it

It looks Much Larger on Amazon, but when it arrives in a small box it's even smaller than you thought it was! This just means that it's SPECIAL and you'll have no problem putting it where you can use it for reference again. Fantastic instructions on Ruler & Compass, from the most basic Geometry into more difficult constructions that previously, if you attempted such, were either filled with errors, or the end result of trial and error,(or you just gave up.) How about making an Ellipse? Enter the Authority; and there's lots to learn and enjoy. -Thank You, Andrew Sutton for such a useful "Little Book" that's Really Big!

this is fairly rigorous (as far as I can judge; not a math expert as noted below) and expects you actually to think as you are reading/using it as the "instructions" on the constructions are stripped to the bone. So far they seem accurate, however. Pay attention to the terminology or you will not "get" this. I liked that there were several pentagon constructions as I often want those and the older construction was pretty arduous. The section on "Neusis" methods was new to me; I am not a math specialist, so it was good to find something new. However, I have not yet really mastered the concept. I've liked Euclid since I was in junior high as it is such a classic case of solid logic. The neusis part is consistent with my philosophical outlook which is that "all knowledge is human knowledge" so having ways to do things that do not fit neatly into the original Euclidean system is within my epistemology which has a heavy emphasis on pragmatism. I note there are some other titles in Wooden Books that I will probably buy. For me, a book like this with the "basics" (mostly) invites my engagement in exploring ramifications, alternatives, etc.

Excellent book! It's surprising how much of fundamental mathematics traces its origin to the ruler and compass technique. Modern mathematics courses present theories and principle but you never really hear about this aspect of the math. My only wish is that the book would be even longer. For instance there is one illustration early in the book that is provided without explanation that shows a ruler-and-compass drawing which results in the solution for a set of square roots (from 1 to 19 or 20 I believe) - fascinating!

I have to teach a few basic constructions for a state test. I have taught them pretty much the same way for years. I teach them the way I was taught. Then I bought this book. This short book helped me energize my class with some great constructions that are quite simple once you get the notation figured out. My students were thrilled with some of the more complex constructions and I think they walked away with a better understanding of the way constructions work. I also used some of the basic shaped like the hexagon construction to reinforce the associated properties. I have never had so much success keeping the students attentive during these lessons.I have not really investigated other such books, but for me, and for my students, this book served as a great resource. Short - effective - informative. In fact - so small that I can tuck the book, a graph paper notebook and a compass in my backpack and not use up much space. One problem - I did spend quite a bit of time doodling with the book during faculty meetings.

This book is dense even though it is small. I am working my way through each construction (there are 177 of them) with a compass and ruler so that I can better understand Euclidean geometry. It is very accessible if you take the time to study it. Each geometric construction is written in a shorthand that builds from previous constructions. But it is not a book you can peruse through and grasp right away - it is more of a reference. However, if you are interested in spending time with paper, pencil, and a few tools you will enjoy it. This is an amazing little book and I am very happy I have it. Edit: In working my way through this book I have found that #67 and #68 are both missing step number 4 in both cases.

I always loved geometry, but it has been a lost art. Even though I studies geometry in college, I have only had limited use, because computers can do everything now. But the problems and solutions that are presented in the book are excellent. It made me by a compass again!

The book is smaller than it looks in the Pictures at Amazon, but it's a nice book for geometry lovers. It contains quick references to practical geometric constructions.

Comme d'habitude, les Wooden Books sont au top ! Excellent livre qui permet de s'entraîner à dessiner seulement au compas et à l'échelle non graduée. Les explications sont succinctes mais très compréhensibles.

The booklet is very instructive indeed . I only wish it had a more readable size / format , like a workbook . The prize matches the edition ,so no problem with that .

It is quite small, and I was worried by the size. Fortunately they’ve managed to pack a remarkable amount of information in such a small package, the diagrams and instructions are very clear and explained in the introduction. I’ve been finding how concise it is to actually be a significant plus. You are able to find what you want quite quickly. It’s become my favourite book on geometry.

nulla a che vedere con la massoneria (come si potrebbe sospettare) ma un libro fondamentale per chi rimpianga il disegno con riga e compasso e la perfezione formale a cui questa tecnica di disegno aibitua e prepara. Forse cercando in qualche scaffale di matematica dell'800 si trova qualcosa di simile ma a dispetto delle dimensioni contenute il ibro è una esposizione esauriente di questa tecnica