Ruler and Compass

Ruler and Compass is a math software which was designed for helping the students of elementary or secondary schools. There are two ways of using of this program. "On screen" constructions allow to construct geometrical figures the way as they are constructed with ruler and compass and only these constructions are possible for "on screen" constructions.

The difference is that everything is done on computer's screen, not on a paper. Pictures of circles, lines, and segments may be drawn with a mouse. A computer will find all intersections and this makes the difference with ordinary graphical program - it allows much higher precision. A computer names all figures and names are written on a screen.

The second way of using of program 'Ruler and Compass' is to write a text for geometrical constructions. Program provides a very simple and understandable geometrical-computer's language. Using of it is straightforward - instead of drawing - just write. Construction text (source files) can be written with any text editor.

However 'Literka' provided a special editor for 'Ruler and Compass'. All main commands are enlightened with yellow color, when they are written correctly. This avoids misprints. For example: the word 'circle' will appear in a yellow color, but an incorrect word 'ccircle' will appear in a white color. Writing source files is like programming. Only that the language is very simple and can be used by a person not familiar with other computer languages. Construction can be traced 'step-by-step'.

This can be used as a simple debugger. Instead of tracing a source file, we can see a sequence of pictures. This allows also showing a construction's process to friends, parents or teachers. More advanced step is to use procedures. They allow performing more advanced constructions - not possible on paper. Colors can be used if there is such a need. In the directory 'Examples' we can find examples for 'Ruler and Compass'.

Here are some key features of "Ruler and Compass":

￭ This module allows only constructions, which refer to 2-dimensional plane and could be done with a ruler nad a compass.

￭ Module contains all commands from the module "Ruler and Compass" corresponding to a planar geometry, so we can say that it is an extension of module "Ruler and Compass". There are few more added commands. They refer to 2-dimensional plane allowing geometrical figures to move, they define vectors, they fill rectangle with geometrical figures etc;

￭ Commands of this module refer to 3-dimensional space. Usually they serve to construct polyhedrons. There are procedures for coloring polyhedrons, resizing them, showing them in convenient way as animation pictures. Examples show, among other constructions, how to construct all regular polyhedrons. Try to invent your own polyhedron and write a construction with a program 'Ruler and Compass'.

￭ Commands for drawing graphs of functions. They define rectangles, where these graphs should appear, colors of graphs etc. Functions of these graphs are created with a help of special function editor, beyond of modules.

Requirements:

￭ At least then 9 MB free hard disk memory. ￭ Windows system 98 or later version. ￭ Possibility to download installation program