Ryan Duong

5/7/2015
Math 161
Origami Construction Report
6 axioms by Humiaki Huzita were given for paper folding. Some of the concepts that
these axioms cover are similar to the concepts we have covered within Euclidean geometry.
Reflections occur across the fold crease with the given axioms just as reflections occur across a
line in Euclidean geometry. Exercise 4.4.1 calls for a construction of the perpendicular bisector
of a segment. Given two points, A and B, folding A onto B forms the perpendicular bisector of
the line segment AB. The crease formed by the fold is the perpendicular bisector of the line
segment AB. The fold ensures that the crease runs through the midpoint as we are folding A onto
B. The line over which we field A over onto B is the axis of reflection by which A reflects B. A
and B are equal distances from this line as a result, making the point at which AB and the creased
line intersect, the midpoint of AB. To find the parallel of a given line through a point not on the
line as Exercise 4.4.2 calls for, we first take the segment AB and construct a point P not on the
line. If needed, extend the segment AB by folding along A and B. Take a point A or B and fold
such that the point falls on the line segment (or extended line as previously stated) and that point
P falls along the crease to be formed. There is now a line through P perpendicular to the original
line segment AB (or the extended line of AB). Following a similar procedure, we take any point
on the newly formed perpendicular line and fold such that the point falls on the perpendicular
line and point P, again falls within the crease to be formed. Because this newly formed line is
perpendicular to the previously formed perpendicular line, it is parallel to the original line and
includes point P. The axioms presented have become more and more relatable to Euclidean
geometry in that some display the same constructions that are found in Euclidean and geometry
and others also appear to be equivalent to Euclid's axioms themselves. We see the given Axiom
1 joins points just as Euclid's axiom states. Constructions such as angle bisectors and
perpendicular bisectors are also covered within the presented axioms. The equivalent effect of
Axiom 5 with a straightedge and compass is finding the intersection of a line with a circle. Three
cases arise from this construction. The circle will either have two intersections with the points of
intersection both being radii of the same length of the specified center, the circle will have one
intersection with the line, making the line a tangent, or the circle will not have any intersections
with the line. Further exploring Axiom 5, Exercises 4.4.3 calls for showing that the axiom can be
used to construct a parabola with focus P and directrix l. Folding the point P onto all points of
the directrix will result in numerous creases/lines that are equidistance from the focus and the
directrix. The intersections of these lines will form the curve of the parabola. We see later in
this mini-project that Axioms 1 through 5 can be essentially recreated using a compass and a
straightedge. However, Axiom 6 appears to offer a construction that is not compatible with
simply a compass and a straightedge. Axiom 6 offers the construction of an angle trisector. In
my previous experience working with compasses and straightedges, I had only ever
experimented with constructing an angle bisector of a given angle. Using the sixth axiom, two
parallel lines can be formed, intersected by a line m. The first of the parallel lines is equidistant
to the 2nd parallel line (in the middle) as the bottom of the paper. Folding the page over such that
the point at the edge of the top parallel line falls on line m and the point at the edge of the bottom
of the paper on the same side as the previous point falls on the second parallel line, we can now

fold the second parallel line (the one between the bottom of the page and the first parallel line)
creating a third line. This third line should create an angle with the bottom of the page that is
two-thirds of the angle that line m creates with the bottom of the page.