Bisecting a line

The procedure of bisecting a given line AB is illustrated in figure 6.
With A as centre and radius equal to higher than half AB, draw two arcs. With B as centre and with the same radius draw another arc intersecting the preious arcs. The line joining the intersection points is the perpendicular bisector of the line AB.

 

Figure 6. Illustrates the method of bisecting a line

Dividing a line into equal parts

The method of dividing a line MO  into equal number of parts is illustrated in figure 7.

• Draw a line MO at any convenient angle (preferably an acute angle) from point M.
• From M and along MO, cut off with a divider equal divisions (say three) of any convenient length.
• Draw a line joining ON.
• Draw lines parallel to MO through the remaining points on line MO.

The intersection of these lines with line MN will divide the line into (three) equal parts.

 

Figure 7. Dividing a line in to equal number of parts.