From: ken@straton.demon.co.uk (Ken Starks)
Newsgroups: sci.math
Subject: Re: NEWBIE Question: Partitioning a Line Segment
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1998 11:13:19 GMT

Brenneman <franbfran@netscape.net> wrote:

> There is a simple problem I can't seem to figure out. In Courant and
> Robbins, the statement is made that using only a straightedge and
> compass, it is possible to divide a segment  into any number of equally
> spaced intervals.

Given segment AB, draw a ray from A at any convenient acute angle.
Open the compasses to any convenient radius and make a line of 
equal segments : A-C-D-E

Construct points F and G on AB with FC, GD, BE parallel

A-F-G-B is your solution

Ken,     __O 
       _-\<,_ 
      (_)/ (_)                                                                 
    Virtuale Saluton.