10/27/17
HAYS, Kan. - An article by Dr. Keith Dreiling, professor of mathematics and chair of the Department of Mathematics at Fort Hays State University, was recently published in the Mathematics Association of America's online publication, Convergence.

"Trisecting an Angle Using Mechanical Means" discusses four solutions that were developed in ancient Greece that were used to trisect an arbitrary angle when mechanical methods are used. GeoGebra applets, a Dynamic Mathematics Software, allows the reader to experiment with these mechanical solutions.

"In ancient Greece, it was very important to solve problems geometrically through the use of a straightedge and compass," said Dreiling. "The ancient Greeks were able to bisect any arbitrary angle through construction, so it seemed reasonable that any angle could be trisected as well," he said.

"The importance of solving this problem lies in the mathematical properties that were used over 2000 years ago," said Dreiling. "When the strict rules of construction were relaxed, mathematicians developed ways to trisect any angle and were able to prove the trisection mathematically as compared to merely showing that the angle was trisected by measuring."

The article can be found at www.maa.org/press/periodicals/convergence/trisecting-an-angle-using-mechanical-means.