How to Draw a 45 Degree Line
Drawing a 45-degree line off an axis is an essential skill to learn. Being able to draw and measure angles accurately can help you in carpentry, math, graphing and design.
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Instructions
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1
Draw a line. Using the pencil and the straightedge, draw a straight line from point A to point B, wherever those may be on the paper. The line's length depends on your purpose. If you are just practicing, try to pick a specific length, instead of drawing an arbitrary straight line.
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2
Set the compass width. The width of the compass should be slightly more than half the length of the line. The line shouldn't be so long that you can't fit the compass over the line's midpoint.
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3
Make the initial placement marks. Place the compass point on one end of the line. Keeping the width of the compass legs the same as you just set, swing the pencil end above and below the line, making slightly curved marks. Do the same for the other endpoint of the line, making slightly curved "X" marks above and below the line.
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4
Use the straightedge to draw a second line, using the centers of each "X" as endpoints.
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5
Readjust the compass to match the width of the endpoint of the first line and its intersection with the new line.
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Place the compass point at the intersection of the two lines, swinging the pencil end above the first line in another curved marking.
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Make the 45-degree line. Use the straightedge to draw a line connecting the endpoint of the first line with the point of intersection of the new curved marking and the second line. The measure of the angle created by this third line and the first line is 45 degrees.
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Tips & Warnings
Try using a protractor to make a 45-degree angle. Some people prefer using different tools, and this may be a faster way to get the same result.
Don't bump or move the compass width accidentally. This can make your measurements and resulting angle inaccurate.
