ruler-and-compass construction
Quick Summary
Ruler-and-compass construction, also known as Euclidean construction, refers to geometric constructions made using only an unmarked straightedge and a compass. This method was a fundamental restriction in ancient Greek geometry, notably by Euclid.12
Three classical problems that proved impossible to solve with these tools are:
* Doubling the cube
* Trisecting an arbitrary angle
* Squaring the circle
Mathematicians like Pierre Laurent Wantzel and Ferdinand von Lindemann later proved these constructions to be impossible using only a straightedge and compass.23
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