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© Copyright 2003, Jim Loy
This interactively demonstrates an estimated trisection that I invented. Move the upper red line to change the large angle. Move the large red dot as your first estimate at a trisection. The two small circles duplicate this estimated trisection twice. And the red line that moves is the resulting much better estimate of the trisection, 1/3 of the way from the second small circle to your first estimate of the trisection (along the shown chord). This method is incredibly accurate. If you choose a halfway good original estimate, the resulting estimate is much more accurate than you can actually draw with real compasses and straightedge, or on a computer screen. Notice that even a bad first estimate produces decent results. This demonstration would be a perfect trisection if you could make the two estimates exactly coincide (which you can do within the accuracy limits of your mouse and computer screen).
The above Java interactive demonstration was created with Cinderella (a geometry program).
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