TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Engineering Drawing & AutoCAD

First Year

Assistant Lecturer: Nazeer M. Ali

Handout #3
“Applied Geometry + Ellipse”

HO #3: Applied Geometry + Ellipse Prepared by Eng. Nazeer M. Ali 1

 Geometrical Constructions

Introduction
 Engineering drawing consists of a number of geometrical constructions.
 A few methods are illustrated here without mathematical proofs .

1. To divide a straight line into a given number of equal parts say 5.

Figure (3-1): Dividing a line

i. Draw AC at any angle θ (say 30◦) to AB.

ii. Construct the required number of equal parts of convenient length of (2 cm)
on AC like 1, 2, 3... etc.
iii. Join the last point 5 to B
iv. Through 4, 3, 2, 1 draw lines parallel to 5B to intersect AB at 4', 3', 2' and 1'.

2. To Bisect (Divide) a Line:

i. Swing two arcs of any radius greater than half-length of the line with the
centers at the ends of the line.
ii. Join the intersection points of the arcs with a line.
iii. Locate the midpoint

Figure (3-2): Bisecting a Line

HO #3: Applied Geometry + Ellipse Prepared by Eng. Nazeer M. Ali 2

3. To bisect a given angle:
i. Draw a line AB and AC making the given angle.
ii. With center A and any convenient radius R draw an arc intersecting the sides
at D and E.
iii. With centers D and E and radius larger than half the chord length DE,
Draw arcs intersecting at F
iv. Join AF, <BAF = <PAC.

Figure (3-3) Bisecting an angle

4. Scribing a circle in any Triangle:

A circle drawn inside a triangle touching the three sides is called the inscribed
circle Fig. (3-4).

Example 1:
Construct a triangle ABC such that AB = 100 mm, BC = 80 mm, CA = 70mm.
Inscribe a circle in this triangle.

i. Construct the triangle ABC.

ii. Draw angular bisectors at angles A and C to intersect at O.
iii. Erect a normal from O to the side AB as ON.
iv. With center O and radius equal to ON draw the required circle touching
the two other sides.

Figure (3-4): Inscribed a circle

HO #3: Applied Geometry + Ellipse Prepared by Eng. Nazeer M. Ali 3

5. Circumscribing a circle in any triangle:
 If a circle is drawn passing through the corners of a triangle, then it is called
circumscribed circle about the triangle.

Example 2:
Construct a triangle ABC such that AB = 70 mm, BC = 60 mm, CA = 50 mm.
Circumscribe a circle about this triangle Fig. (3-5).

i. Construct the given triangle ABC.

ii. Draw perpendicular bisectors to AB and AC to intersect at O.
iii. With center O and radius equal to AO draw the circumscribing circle.

Figure (3-5) Circumscribed a circle

6. To draw an arc of given radius touching two straight

lines at right angles to each other:
 Let r be the given radius and AB and AC the given straight lines.
 With A as center and radius equal to r draw arcs cutting AB at P and Q.
 With P and Q as centers draw arcs to meet at O.
 With 0 as center and radius equal to r draw the required arc.

Figure (3-6) Figure (3-7)

HO #3: Applied Geometry + Ellipse Prepared by Eng. Nazeer M. Ali 4

7. To draw an arc of a given radius, touching two given
straight lines making an angle between them:

 Let AB and CD be the two straight lines and r, the radius.

 Draw a line PQ parallel to AB at a distance r from AB.
 Similarly, draw a line RS parallel to CD.
 Extend them to meet at O.
 With O as center and radius equal to r draw the arc to the two given lines.

Figure (3-8)

8. Drawing of tangent ARCS to Circles:

 One of the most frequently used geometrical constructions is the drawing of

tangent arcs to circles.
 Some of the most required tangent constructions are described in the
following examples:

HO #3: Applied Geometry + Ellipse Prepared by Eng. Nazeer M. Ali 5

Example 3:

 Draw an arc of radius 40 mm tangential Externally to two circles having

their centers 80 mm apart and radii 30 mm and 20 mm respectively. Also
mark the points of tangency.

i. Draw the given circles R30 and R20 with a distance of 80 mm between their
centers.
ii. With center O1 and radius (30+40) mm draw an arc.

iii. With center O2 and radius (20+40) mm draw the second arc to intersect the
first arc at O3.
iv. With O3 as center and radius 40 mm, draw the required external tangent arc.
v. Join O1 and O3 to get the point T1, and O2 and O3 to get the point T2.
The points of tangency are T1 and T2.

Figure (3-9) To draw an arc tangential to two circles externally

HO #3: Applied Geometry + Ellipse Prepared by Eng. Nazeer M. Ali 6

In general use the rules shown in Fig. (3-10) to draw tangents to circles in different
cases

a b c

Figure (3-10)

a: Drawing an arc tangent to tow circles Externally.

b: Drawing an arc tangent to tow circles Internally.

c: Drawing an arc tangent to tow circles Externally and Internally.

9. Drawing of tangent LINES to Circles:

 Similar to tangent arcs, drawing of straight line tangents to circles are also
frequently required in engineering drawing. The following examples
describe the method of drawing tangents to two circles.

HO #3: Applied Geometry + Ellipse Prepared by Eng. Nazeer M. Ali 7

Example 4:
Draw common EXTERNAL tangents to circles of diameters 60 mm and 32 mm,
the distance between centers is 80 mm Fig. (3-11).

i. Draw circles of radii 30 mm and 16 mm with centers Q1 and O2 respectively,

in distance 80 mm center to center.

ii. With center O1 and radius equal to 14 mm (30-16) draw another circle.

iii. With O1 and O2 as diameter draw a semicircle to cut the circle of R 14 mm

at P1 and join O2 P1.

iv. Join O1P1 and produce it to cut at P.

v. Draw line PQ parallel to O2P1. Similarly draw the line ST.

These lines are the required External Tangents.

Figure (3-11): External tangents to circles

HO #3: Applied Geometry + Ellipse Prepared by Eng. Nazeer M. Ali 8

Example 5:

 Draw common INTERNAL tangents to circles of diameters 40mm and 20

mm, the distance between centers is 70mm Fig. (3-12).

i. Draw circles of radii 20 mm and 10 mm with centers Q1 and O2

respectively, in distance 70 mm center to center.

ii. With center O1 and radius equal to 30 mm (20+10) draw another circle.

iii. With O1 and O2 as diameter draw a semicircle to cut the circle of R 30 mm

at P1 and join O2 P1.

iv. Join O1P1 and produce it to cut at P.

v. Draw line PQ parallel to O2P1. Similarly draw the line ST.

These lines are the required Internal Tangents.

Figure (3-12) Internal tangents to circles

HO #3: Applied Geometry + Ellipse Prepared by Eng. Nazeer M. Ali 9

 Drawing Polygons

1. To INSCRIBE a Hexagon in a given circle Fig. (3-13):

i. With Centre O and radius R draw the given circle.

ii. Draw any diameter AD to the circle.
iii. Using 30° - 60° set-square and through the point A draw lines AI, A2 at an
angle 60° with AD, intersecting the circle at B and F respectively.
iv. Using 30° - 60° and through the point D draw lines Dl, D2 at an angle 60°
with DA, intersecting the circle at C and E respectively.
By joining A, B, C, D, E, F, and A the required hexagon is obtained.

Figure (3-13)

2. To CIRCUMSCRIBE a Hexagon on a given circle of radius R:

i. With center O and radius R draw the given circle.

ii. Using 60O position of the mini drafter or 30O-60Oset square, circumscribe the
hexagon as shown.

Figure (3-14)

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3. To INSCRIBE a regular Polygon of any Number of Sides in
a given circle:

i. Draw the given circle with AE as diameter.

ii. Divide the diameter AE into N equal parts say 7.
iii. With AE as radius and A and E as centers, draw arcs intersecting each
other at P
iv. Join P-2 and extend to intersect the circle at B.
v. Join A-B which is the length of the side of the required polygon.
vi. Set the compass to the length AB and starting from B mark off on the
circumference of the circles, obtaining the points C, D, etc.

The figure obtained by joining the points A, B, C etc., is the required polygon.

Figure (3-15)

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 Drawing Ellipse

1- Oblong Method:
i. Draw the major and minor axes AB and CD and locate the center O.
ii. Draw the rectangle KLMN passing through A, D, B, C.
iii. Divide AO and AN into same number of equal parts, say 4.
iv. Join C with the points 1', 2’, 3’.
v. Join D with the points 1,2,3 and extend till they meet the lines C1', C2', C3'
"respectively at P1 P2 and P3
vi. Repeat steps iii to v to obtain the points in the remaining three quadrants.
Join the points by a smooth curve forming the required ellipse.

Figure (3-16)

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2- Concentric (same center) Circles Method:

i. Draw the major and minor axes AB and CD and locate the center O.
ii. With center O and major axis and minor axes as diameters, draw two
concentric circles.
iii. Divide both the circles into equal number of parts, say 12 and draw the
radial lines (use triangle set of 30o – 60o).
iv. Considering the radial line O -1' -1, draw a horizontal line from 1' to meet
the vertical line from 1 at Pl.
v. Repeat the steps 4 and obtain other points P2, P4, P5 … etc.
vi. Join the points by a smooth curve forming the required ellipse.

Figure (3-17)

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3. Four Center Method:

i. Draw the major (AB = 120 mm) and minor (CD = 80 mm) axes and locate
the center O.
ii. With center O and radius OA (60 mm), draw the arc AE.
iii. With center C and radius CE (20 mm). Draw an arc meeting the line AC at
F
iv. Draw perpendicular bisector of AF, meeting AB at K and CD extended at
G.
v. Locate point L on AB such that OL = OK and H on DC extended such that
HC = GD.
The points K, L. G and H are the four centers that may be used to draw the
ellipse.
vi. With G and H as Centre and radius CG, draw two arcs.
vii. With K and L as Centre and radius KA, draw two arcs.

The four arcs meet tangentially, forming the required ellipse.

Figure (3-18)

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