Drawing Compass

drawing · geometry · tools

Makes perfect circles. A compass has two legs, one with a sharp point and one with a pencil or pen. You stick the point down, spin the other leg around it, and create a circle that's exactly the same distance all the way around.

Measures distances. When you use it as a divider, you can set the legs apart to match a distance on a map or ruler, then move it to another spot to mark out that exact same distance somewhere else.

Great for mapmaking. Sailors and explorers used compasses to measure distances between places on maps and to navigate their journeys across oceans.

Tool for math class. Students use compasses in geometry to draw arcs, create shapes, and solve problems that need precise circles and angles.