Question

Draw a line segment of length 7.6 cm and divide it in the ratio 5:8. Measure the two parts. Give the justification of the construction.

Answer 1

A line segment of length 7.6 cm can be divided in the ratio of 5:8 as follows.

Step 1 Draw line segment AB of 7.6 cm and draw a ray AX making an acute angle with line segment AB.

Step 2 Locate 13 (= 5 + 8) points, A₁, A₂, A₃, A₄ …….. A₁₃, on AX such that AA₁ = A₁A₂ = A₂A₃ and so on.

Step 3 Join BA₁₃.

Step 4 Through the point A₅, draw a line parallel to BA₁₃ (by making an angle equal to ∠AA₁₃B) at A₅ intersecting AB at point C.

C is the point dividing line segment AB of 7.6 cm in the required ratio of 5:8.

The lengths of AC and CB can be measured. It comes out to 2.9 cm and 4.7 cm respectively.

Justification

The construction can be justified by proving that

By construction, we have A₅C || A₁₃B. By applying Basic proportionality theorem for the triangle AA₁₃B, we obtain

… (1)

From the figure, it can be observed that AA₅ and A₅A₁₃ contain 5 and 8 equal divisions of line segments respectively.

… (2)

On comparing equations (1) and (2), we obtain

This justifies the construction.