Draw a Circle and Its Centre Without Lifting Your Pencil

If you want to have some fun, pose this task as a challenge to your friends, then show them how it is done. Show them a figure like the one at the right. Easy, right? The challenge is this: draw it without lifting the pencil from the paper. If you think it can't be done, read on to find out how.

Steps

  1. In the middle of the paper, draw a large dot.
  2. Fold over the edge of the paper so that it touches the pencil. Don't crease the paper. Don't move the pencil off the paper.
  3. Move the pencil up onto the folded paper
  4. Draw a quarter circle, bringing your pencil to the edge of the folded-over paper. Draw right down off the edge.
  5. Unfold the paper. You're now right where you need to be.
  6. Draw a circle with the dot at the center.

Tips

  • Instead of a circle, you could draw a square, rectangle, or other random geometric figure.
  • Try this once or twice before you demonstrate it to others.

Warnings

  • Make sure not to lift the pencil off of the paper when going from one layer to the next. Since the width of the pencil lead is greater than the width of the paper, it is possible to touch both layers of paper at the same time without lifting the pencil off the paper.

Things You'll Need

  • Pen or pencil
  • Paper

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