HOW TO CONSTRUCT THE NINE POINT CIRCLE

STUDENT DIRECTIONS

STEP 1: Begin with a triangle, and construct the perpendicular bisectors of its sides. Mark the intersection point of the three perpendicular bisectors as "circumcenter". Create points at the midpoints of each side and hide the perpendicular bisectors. See picture below.

STEP 2: Now construct the altitudes from each vertex, and construct points at the feet of the perpendiculars. Label the point of intersection of the altitudes as the "orthocenter". Hide the altitudes. See picture below:

STEP 3: Next, construct segments from the the orthocenter to each vertex, and find the midpoints of these segments. Hide the segments, leaving only the midpoints. See picture below.

STEP 4: Finally, construct the segment between the circumcenter and the orthocenter, locate its midpoint, and hide the segment. This point is the center of the nine point circle. Construct a circle with this point as the center, and any of the nine points as the other point Using the circle by center + point function under the construct menu).




click here to return to teacher's notes