Procedure to Construct a 5-Point Star


If you have a protractor, simply draw a circle that is the size of your star. From the center of the circle, draw a straight line to intersect the circle, then measure 72 degrees at the center and draw another one, and so on. You now have the 5 points along the circle circumference.

If you don't have a protractor, you'll have to do it with a simple compass and a ruler.
Let's say the size of star is 10" in diameter.

1. Draw a horizontal line and, at approximately midpoint, draw a perpendicular line up.
2. The intersection of the two lines will be the center. Draw a circle with radius = 5".
3. On the horizontal line, pick a point roughly half way from the center and the circle (call it point A) . Use a compass and draw an arc, using the distance between A and the point where the vertical line intersects with the circle (call it point V). Let the arc intersect the horizontal line (call it point B).
4. Using point V as the center, and the distance between V and B as the radius, starting from point V, draw an arc. Without changing the compass, now use the point where the arc intersects with the circle as the new center, draw another arc along the circle, repeat until you end up back in point V. You now have the 5 points.

It sounds more complicated without a diagram than it really is.
If you have forgotten the terms in geometry, and don't have a 5th grader handy to refresh your memory, here is a short list: An arc is part of a circle; radius is the distance from the center of a circle to the perimeter (edge) of the circle, which is half the circle diameter; perpendicular means 90 degrees or right-angle to each other.

Starting with any point, draw a straight line to the opposite point on the circle. Do the same with the 4 other points to make a 5-Point Star.