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Pentagon

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In geometry, a pentagon is a polygon with 5 sides. Each angle of a regular pentagon is 108^{\circ}. The sum of the internal angles of any pentagon is 540^{\circ}.

Construction

It is possible to construct a regular pentagon with compass and straightedge:

  1. Draw circle O (red).
  2. Draw diameter AB and construct a perpendicular radius through O.
  3. Construct the midpoint of CO, and label it E.
  4. Draw AE (green).
  5. Construct the angle bisector of \angle AEO, and label its intersection with AB as F (pink).
  6. Construct a perpendicular to AB at F.
  7. Adjust your compass to length AG, and mark off points H, I and J on circle O.
  8. AGHIJ is a regular pentagon.

See Also

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Want to learn how to tackle those tough AMC/AIME/Olympiad counting and probability problems? Check out Art of Problem Solving's Intermediate Counting & Probability by David Patrick.
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