Ruler and Compass: Practical Geometric Constructions (Wooden Books, 34)

Super cool book with useful instructions on drawing various shapes. I feel like I'm stepping back into the 16th century.

Excellent and informative book, I highly recommend it

It looks Much Larger on Amazon, but when it arrives in a small box it's even smaller than you thought it was! This just means that it's SPECIAL and you'll have no problem putting it where you can use it for reference again. Fantastic instructions on Ruler & Compass, from the most basic Geometry into more difficult constructions that previously, if you attempted such, were either filled with errors, or the end result of trial and error,(or you just gave up.) How about making an Ellipse? Enter the Authority; and there's lots to learn and enjoy. -Thank You, Andrew Sutton for such a useful "Little Book" that's Really Big!

this is fairly rigorous (as far as I can judge; not a math expert as noted below) and expects you actually to think as you are reading/using it as the "instructions" on the constructions are stripped to the bone. So far they seem accurate, however. Pay attention to the terminology or you will not "get" this. I liked that there were several pentagon constructions as I often want those and the older construction was pretty arduous. The section on "Neusis" methods was new to me; I am not a math specialist, so it was good to find something new. However, I have not yet really mastered the concept. I've liked Euclid since I was in junior high as it is such a classic case of solid logic. The neusis part is consistent with my philosophical outlook which is that "all knowledge is human knowledge" so having ways to do things that do not fit neatly into the original Euclidean system is within my epistemology which has a heavy emphasis on pragmatism. I note there are some other titles in Wooden Books that I will probably buy. For me, a book like this with the "basics" (mostly) invites my engagement in exploring ramifications, alternatives, etc.

If there ever was a book that needed to come in a full sized (say 8" x 10") form factor, this is it, given all the intricate line segment and circle illustrations. Sadly the publisher opted instead to make it a tiny 5.75" x 6", meaning that even someone with perfect vision is going to be squinting a little when looking at the graphic illustrations which constitute about half the content of the book. Maybe it would have been prudent to increase the price just a little and make a more universally usable book? The content is dense, and the reader is expected to do most of the work themselves. This is great, but I really wish they had opted for a more readable product.

This is a great little book and I am giving it 5 stars. The info in it is fantastic and I'm still going through it. But I feel the need to mention that it is much smaller than I expected. The first two Wooden Books I had are Quadrivium and Designa. Those two are very thick books. So I expected the same with this one, but it is much thinner and I have to admit I was a bit dissapointed when I first received it in the mail. However, I'm still giving it 5 starts as the info is great and the book is exactly as it was described. The issue was with my expectation.

I have to teach a few basic constructions for a state test. I have taught them pretty much the same way for years. I teach them the way I was taught. Then I bought this book. This short book helped me energize my class with some great constructions that are quite simple once you get the notation figured out. My students were thrilled with some of the more complex constructions and I think they walked away with a better understanding of the way constructions work. I also used some of the basic shaped like the hexagon construction to reinforce the associated properties. I have never had so much success keeping the students attentive during these lessons.I have not really investigated other such books, but for me, and for my students, this book served as a great resource. Short - effective - informative. In fact - so small that I can tuck the book, a graph paper notebook and a compass in my backpack and not use up much space. One problem - I did spend quite a bit of time doodling with the book during faculty meetings.

Frankly, don't understand all the five star reviews. This is a difficult book if you don't already have a background in geometrical constructions. Even the simplist constructions take some thought as the instructions are in a minimal shorthand and illustrations are very complex. This is not a book for beginners, first year geometry students or someone with a casual interest in learning some of the basic and classic constructions I have other Wooden Books and enjoy them very much This one not so much.