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This construction shows how to create a line segment whose length is the sum of a set of given segments (here three). It will work with any number of given segments. See also Difference of two segments.

Printable step-by-step instructions

The above animation is available as a printable step-by-step instruction sheet, which can be used for making handouts or when a computer is not available.

Proof

The proof of this construction is trivial. This is the same drawing as the last step in the above animation.

	Argument	Reason
1	The segment PR is congruent to the given segment a	Copied using the procedure in Copying a line segment. See that page for proof.
2	The segment RS is congruent to the given segment b	See (1)
3	The segment SQ is congruent to the given segment c	See (1).
4	PQ is the sum of given segments a,b,c	From (1), (2), (3). All segments are colinear and adjacent.

  - Q.E.D

Try it yourself

Click here for a printable worksheet containing two line segment copying problems. When you get to the page, use the browser print command to print as many as you wish. The printed output is not copyright.

Other constructions pages on this site

• List of printable constructions worksheets

Lines

• Introduction to constructions
• Copy a line segment
• Sum of n line segments
• Difference of two line segments
• Perpendicular bisector of a line segment
• Perpendicular at a point on a line
• Perpendicular from a line through a point
• Perpendicular from endpoint of a ray
• Divide a segment into n equal parts
• Parallel line through a point (angle copy)
• Parallel line through a point (rhombus)
• Parallel line through a point (translation)

Angles

• Bisecting an angle
• Copy an angle
• Construct a 30° angle
• Construct a 45° angle
• Construct a 60° angle
• Construct a 90° angle (right angle)
• Sum of n angles
• Difference of two angles
• Supplementary angle
• Complementary angle
• Constructing  75°  105°  120°  135°  150° angles and more

Triangles

• Copy a triangle
• Isosceles triangle, given base and side
• Isosceles triangle, given base and altitude
• Isosceles triangle, given leg and apex angle
• Equilateral triangle
• 30-60-90 triangle, given the hypotenuse
• Triangle, given 3 sides (sss)
• Triangle, given one side and adjacent angles (asa)
• Triangle, given two angles and non-included side (aas)
• Triangle, given two sides and included angle (sas)
• Triangle medians
• Triangle midsegment
• Triangle altitude
• Triangle altitude (outside case)

Right triangles

• Right Triangle, given one leg and hypotenuse (HL)
• Right Triangle, given both legs (LL)
• Right Triangle, given hypotenuse and one angle (HA)
• Right Triangle, given one leg and one angle (LA)

Triangle Centers

• Triangle incenter
• Triangle circumcenter
• Triangle orthocenter
• Triangle centroid

Circles, Arcs and Ellipses

• Finding the center of a circle
• Circle given 3 points
• Tangent at a point on the circle
• Tangents through an external point
• Tangents to two circles (external)
• Tangents to two circles (internal)
• Incircle of a triangle
• Focus points of a given ellipse
• Circumcircle of a triangle

Polygons

• Square given one side
• Square inscribed in a circle
• Hexagon given one side
• Hexagon inscribed in a given circle
• Pentagon inscribed in a given circle

Non-Euclidean constructions

• Construct an ellipse with string and pins
• Find the center of a circle with any right-angled object