Draw an arc ten ways

The Arc tool (OO) draws a circular arc. Besides the usual three clicks, it offers ten ways to define the arc, for when you know the radius, the angle or the centre rather than a point on the curve.

What you'll do

Pick the Arc tool, choose an Arc method and draw the arc with clicks or typed numbers.

Steps

1. Choose Arc in the Draw tools, or press OO.
2. In the box over the page, pick the method under Arc method: 3-Point, Start, Center, End, Start, Center, Angle, Start, Center, Length, Start, End, Angle, Start, End, Direction, Start, End, Radius, Center, Start, End, Center, Start, Angle or Center, Start, Length.
3. Follow the prompt in the status line, one step at a time. Each step asks you to click the start, a point the arc passes through, the centre or the end.
4. When the step asks for an angle, a chord length, a direction or a radius, move the pointer and click, or type the number and press ReturnEnter.
5. The arc is made when the last step is done. Select it and restyle it in Properties like any other markup.

Good to know

• EscEsc cancels the arc; DeleteBackspace undoes the last step.
• A minus sign turns an angle or a length clockwise. For a radius, a minus sign takes the long way round. A direction is in degrees: right is 0, up is 90.
• If the points cannot make an arc (three points in a line, two points in the same place, a radius too small to reach the other end) the status line says so; pick another point.
• See Markup types for the other drawing tools.