How to Make a Star With a Compass
A perfectly pointed star appears to be an insurmountable challenge. If you try to achieve it with a ruler alone, you may have straight edges, but the angles will be far from identical. Enter the compass. With the circle this handy little instrument can provide as your guide, you can draw a spot-on star.
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Instructions
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1
Use the ruler and pencil to draw two intersecting lines, or a cross. Make the cross at least as tall and wide as you would like the finished star to be. Make sure the lines are the same length.
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2
Place the pointed end of the compass on the spot where the two lines intersect. Decide what the diameter of the finished star will be. Open up the compass and draw a circle as wide as this chosen diameter.
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3
Place the protractor inside one of the angles of the cross. Mark a 72-degree angle using a dotted line. The intersection of the dotted line and the circle is one of the points of the star.
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4
Continue to mark off the remaining four points, 72 degrees separate from one another. Number the points, clockwise, 1-2-3-4-5 for reference.
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5
Use the ruler and pencil to draw lines connecting points 1 and 4; points 1 and 3; points 2 and 4; points 2 and 5; and points 3 and 5. You should have a perfect pointed star. Erase any lines you don't want.
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Tips & Warnings
Draw lightly with the pencil so that erasures are easy.
References
- Photo Credit compass image by Sid Viswakumar from Fotolia.com
