Euclid's CatasQI

Here we list all 48 2D constructions from the first six books of Euclid.
Book I: 14 Constructions, C#1 to C#14
C#01 < p.01.01: To draw an equilateral triangle (vesica piscis)
C#02 < p.01.02: To move a line
C#03 < p.01.03: To move a line onto a line
C#04 < p.01.09: To bisect an angle
C#05 < p.01.10: To bisect a line
C#05B < p.01.10: To bisect a line (alternate construction)
C#06 < p.01.11: To draw a perp at a point
C#07 < p.01.12: To drop a perp from a point
C#08 < p.01.22: To make a triangle of three lines
C#08B < p.01.22: To make a triangle of three lines (alternate construction)
C#09 < p.01.23: To move an angle onto a line at a point
C#10 < p.01.31: To draw a parallel through a point
C#11 < p.01.42: To draw a parallelogram equal to a triangle
C#12 < p.01.44: Same, but with a given width
C#12B < p.01.44: Same, but with a given width (alternate construction)
C#13 < p.01.45: To draw a parallelogram equal to a figure
C#14 < p.01.46: To draw a square on a given side
C#14B < p.01.46: To draw a square on a given side (alternate construction)
Book II: 2 Constructions, C#15 and C#16
C#15 < p.02.11: To cut a line in golden section
C#16 < p.02.14: To construct a square equal to a figure
Book III: 6 Constructions, C#17 to C#22
C#17 < p.03.01: To find the center of a circle
C#18 < p.03.17: To draw a line touching a circle
C#18B < p.03.17: To draw a line touching a circle (alternate construction)
C#19 < p.03.25: To draw a complete circle given a segment
C#20 < p.03.30: To bisect a circumference
C#21 < p.03.33: To draw a segment with a given angle, on a given line
C#22 < p.03.34: To draw a segment with a given angle, in a given circle
Book IV: 16 Constructions, C#23 to C#38
C#23 < p.04.01: To fit a line in a circle
C#24 < p.04.02: To inscribe a triangle in a circle
C#25 < p.04.03: To circumscribe a triangle around a circle
C#26 < p.04.04: To inscribe a circle in a triangle
C#27 < p.04.05: To circumscribe a circle around a triangle
C#28 < p.04.06: To inscribe a square in a circle
C#29 < p.04.07: To circumscribe a square around a circle
C#30 < p.04.08: To inscribe a circle in a square
C#31 < p.04.09: To circumscribe a circle around a square
C#32 < p.04.10: To construct a golden triangle
C#33 < p.04.11: To inscribe a pentagon in a circle
C#34 < p.04.12: To circumscribe a pentagon around a circle
C#35 < p.04.13: To inscribe a circle in a pentagon
C#36 < p.04.14: To circumscribe a circle around a pentagon
C#37 < p.04.15: To inscribe a hexagon in a circle
C#38 < p.04.16: To inscribe a 15-gon in a circle
Book VI: 10 Constructions, C#39 to C#48
C#39 < p.06.09: To cut a prescribed piece from a line
C#40 < p.06.10: To cut a line similar to another cut line
C#41 < p.06.11: To find a third proprotional
C#42 < p.06.12: To find a fourth proportional
C#43 < p.06.13: To find a mean proportional
C#44 < p.06.18: To describe a figure similar to a given figure
C#45 < p.06.25: To describe a figure similar to one and equal to another
C#46 < p.06.28: To apply a parallelogram to a line, given area and defect
C#47 < p.06.29: To apply a parallelogram to a line, given area and excess
C#48 < p.06.30: To divide in extreme and mean ratio (DEMR)
A modern addition

C#49 : To divide a circle into 17 equal segments


Revised 28 April 1999 by Ralph Abraham
abraham@vismath.org