• LINE

• ARC
• CIRCLE
• ELLIPSE
• DOUGHNUTS
• POLYGON
• POLYLINE
• RECTANGLE
• SPLINE
• POINT
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
• Draw arcs using different options
ARC
– 3 POINTS
– START, CENTER, END
– START, CENTER, ANGLE
– START, CENTER, LENGTH
– START, END, ANGLE
– START, END, DIRECTION
– START, END, RADIUS
– CENTER, START, END
– CENTER, START, ANGLE
– CENTER, START, LENGTH
– CONTINUE
• An Arc is defined as a part of a circle; it can be
drawn using the ARC command.
• An Arc can be drawn in 11 distinct ways using
the options listed under the ARC command.
• The default method for drawing an arc is the 3
Points option.
 THE 3 POINTS OPTION
• When you enter ARC at the Command:
prompt, you automatically get into the 3
Points option.
• The 3 points option requires the start point,
the second point, and the endpoint of the arc.
• The arc can be drawn in a clock- wise or
counter clockwise direction by dragging the
arc with the cursor.
 COMMAND PROMPT SEQUENCE
• Command: ARC [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc or [CEnter]: 2, 2
[Enter]
• Specify second point of arc or [CEnter]: 3, 3
[Enter]
• Specify end point of arc: 3, 4 [Enter]
 THE START, CENTER, END OPTION
• This option is slightly different from the 3
point option. In this option, instead of
entering the second point, you enter the
center of the arc.
• Choose this option when you know the start
point, end-point, and center point of the arc.
• The arc is drawn in a counter Clockwise
direction from the start point to the endpoint
around the specified center:.
 THE START, CENTER, END OPTION
• The endpoint specified need not be on the arc
and is used only to calculate the angle at
which the arc ends.
• The radius of the arc is determined by the
distance between the center point and the start
point.
• The prompt sequence for drawing an arc with a
start point of (3,2), center point of
(2,2), Center, and endpoint of (2,3.5) is as follows:
 COMMAND PROMPT SEQUENCE
• Command: ARC [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc or [CEnter]: 3, 2
[Enter]
• Specify second point of arc or [CEnter/ ENd]:
CE [Enter]
• Specify center point of arc: 2,2 [Enter]
• Specify end point of arc or [Angle/ chord
length]: 2, 3.5 [Enter]
 THE START, CENTER, ANGLE OPTION
• This option is the best choice if you know the
included angle of the arc.
• The included angle is the angle formed by the
start point and the end point of the arc with
the specified center.
 THE START, CENTER, ANGLE OPTION
• This option draws an arc in a counter
clockwise direction with the specified center
and start point spanning the indicated angle.
• If the specified angle is negative, the arc is
drawn in a clockwise direction.
• The prompt sequence for drawing an arc with
a center of (2,2), start point of
(3,2), Center, and an included angle of 60
degrees is:
 COMMAND PROMPT SEQUENCE
• Command: ARC [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc or [CEnter]: 3, 2 [Enter]
• Specify second point of arc or [CEnter/ ENd]: CE
[Enter]
• Specify center point of arc: 2,2 [Enter]
• Specify end point of arc or [Angle/ chord length]:
A [Enter]
• Specify included angle: 60 [Enter]
 THE START, CENTER, ANGLE OPTION
You can draw arcs with negative angle
values in the Start, Center, Included Angles (St,
C, Ang) option by entering “-“ (Negative sign)
followed by the angle values of your
requirement at the Specify included angle:
prompt.
 COMMAND PROMPT SEQUENCE
• Command: ARC [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc or [CEnter]: 4, 3 [Enter]
• Specify second point of arc or [CEnter/ ENd]: CE
[Enter]
• Specify center point of arc: 3,3 [Enter]
• Specify end point of arc or [Angle/ chord length]:
A [Enter]
• Specify included angle: -180 [Enter]
THE START, CENTER, LENGTH OPTION
• In this is option defined you as are required to specify
the start point, center point, and length of chord.
• A chord length needs to be ne connecting the start
point and the endpoint of an arc.
• Identical start, Center, and cord length specifications
can be used to define four different arcs. AutoCAD
settles this problem by always drawing this type of arc
counter clockwise from the start point.
• Therefore, a positive chord length gives the smallest
possible arc with that length. This is known as the
minor arc.
THE START, CENTER, LENGTH OPTION
• The minor arc is less than 180 degrees. A negative
value for chord length results in the
largest possible arc, also known as the major arc.
• The chord length can be determined by using the
standard chord length tables or using the
mathematical relation (L= 2*Sqrt (h(2r-h)]).
• For example, an arc of radius l unit, with an
included angle of 30 degrees, has a chord length
of 0.51764 units. The prompt sequence for
drawing an arc that has a start point of (3,1),
center of (2, 2) and the chord length of (2) is:
 COMMAND PROMPT SEQUENCE
• Command: ARC [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc or [CEnter]: 3,1 [Enter]
• Specify second point of arc or [CEnter/ ENd]: CE
[Enter]
• Specify center point of arc: 2,2 [Enter]
• Specify end point of arc or [Angle/ chord length]:
L [Enter]
• Length of chord: 2 [Enter]
THE START, CENTER, LENGTH OPTION
You can draw the major arc by defining the
length of the chord as negative. In this case the
arc with a start point of (3, 1), a center point of
(2, 2) and a negative chord length of (-2) is
drawn with the following prompt sequence:
 COMMAND PROMPT SEQUENCE
• Command: ARC [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc or [CEnter]: 3,3 [Enter]
• Specify second point of arc or [CEnter/ ENd]: CE
[Enter]
• Specify center point of arc: 2,2 [Enter]
• Specify end point of arc or [Angle/ chord length]:
L [Enter]
• Length of chord: -2 [Enter]
 THE START, END, ANGLE OPTION
• With this option you can draw an arc by
specifying the start point of the arc, the
endpoint, and the included angle.
• A positive included angle value draws an arc in
a counter clockwise direction from the start
point to the endpoint, spanning the included
angle; a negative included angle value draws
the arc in a clockwise direction.
 THE START, END, ANGLE OPTION
The prompt sequence for drawing an arc
with a start point of (3,2), endpoint of (2,4), and
included angle of 1 20 degrees is:
 COMMAND PROMPT SEQUENCE
• Command: ARC [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc or [CEnter]: 3,2 [Enter]
• Specify second point of arc or [CEnter/ ENd]: EN
[Enter]
• Specify end point of arc: 2, 4 [Enter]
• Specify center point of arc or [Angle/ Direction/
Radius]: A [Enter]
• Specify included angle: 120 [Enter]
 THE START, END, DIRECTION OPTION
• In this option you can draw an arc by
specifying the start point, end point, and
starting direction of the arc, in degrees.
• In other words, the arc starts in the direction
you specify (the start of the arc is established
tangent to the direction you specify).
• This option can be used to draw a major or
minor arc, in a clockwise or counter clockwise
direction.
 THE START, END, DIRECTION OPTION
• The size and position of the arc are
determined by the distance between the start
point and endpoint and the direction
specified.
• To illustrate the positive direction option, the
prompt sequence for an are having a start
point of (4, 3) endpoint of (3, 5), and direction
of 90 degrees is:
 COMMAND PROMPT SEQUENCE
• Command: ARC [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc or [CEnter]: 4,3 [Enter]
• Specify second point of arc or [CEnter/ ENd]: EN
[Enter]
• Specify end point of arc: 3, 5 [Enter]
• Specify center point of arc or [Angle/ Direction/
Radius]: D [Enter]
• Specify included angle: 90 [Enter]
 THE START, END, DIRECTION OPTION
To illustrate the option using a negative
direction degree specification, the prompt
sequence for an arc having a start point of (4, 3),
endpoint of (3, 4), and direction of -90 degree is:
 COMMAND PROMPT SEQUENCE
• Command: ARC [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc or [CEnter]: 4, 3 [Enter]
• Specify second point of arc or [CEnter/ ENd]: EN
[Enter]
• Specify end point of arc: 3, 4 [Enter]
• Specify center point of arc or [Angle/ Direction/
Radius]: D [Enter]
• Specify included angle: -90 [Enter]
 THE START, END, RADIUS OPTION
• This option is used when you know the start
point, endpoint, and radius of the arc.
• The same values for the three variables (start
point, endpoint, and radius) can result in four
different arcs.
• AutoCAD resolves this by always drawing this
type of arc in a counter clockwise direction
form the start point.
 THE START, END, RADIUS OPTION
• Hence, a positive radius value results in a
minor arc (smallest arc between the start
point and the endpoint), while a negative
radius value results in a major arc (the largest
arc between two endpoints).
• The prompt sequence to draw a major arc
having a start point of (3, 3), endpoint of (2,
5), and radius of -2 is:
 COMMAND PROMPT SEQUENCE
• Command: ARC [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc or [CEnter]: 3, 3 [Enter]
• Specify second point of arc or [CEnter/ ENd]: EN
[Enter]
• Specify end point of arc: 2, 5 [Enter]
• Specify center point of arc or [Angle/ Direction/
Radius]: R [Enter]
• Specify included angle: -2 [Enter]
 THE START, END, RADIUS OPTION
The prompt sequence to draw a minor arc
having its start point at (3, 3), endpoint at (2, 5),
and radius as 2 is
 COMMAND PROMPT SEQUENCE
• Command: ARC [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc or [CEnter]: 3, 3 [Enter]
• Specify second point of arc or [CEnter/ ENd]: EN
[Enter]
• Specify end point of arc: 2, 5 [Enter]
• Specify center point of arc or [Angle/ Direction/
Radius]: R [Enter]
• Specify included angle: 2 [Enter]
 THE CENTER, START, END OPTION
• The Center, Start, End option is a modification
of the Start, Center, End option.
• Use this option whenever it is easier to start
drawing an arc by establishing the center first.
• Here the arc is always drawn in a counter
clockwise direction from the start point to the
endpoint, around the specified center.
 THE CENTER, START, END OPTION
• The prompt sequence for drawing an arc that
has a center point at (3, 3), start point at (5,
3), and endpoint at (3, 5) is:
 COMMAND PROMPT SEQUENCE
• Command: ARC [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc or [CEnter]: CE
[Enter]
• Specify center point of arc: 3, 3 [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc: 5, 3 [Enter]
• Specify end point of arc or [Angle/ chord
length]: 3, 5 [Enter]
 THE CENTER, START, ANGLE OPTION
• This option is a variation of the Start, Center,
Angle Option. Use this option whenever it is
easier to draw an arc by establishing the
center first.
• The prompt sequence for drawing an arc that
has a center point at (4, 5), and included angle
of 120 degrees is:
 COMMAND PROMPT SEQUENCE
• Command: ARC [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc or [CEnter]: CE
[Enter]
• Specify center point of arc: 4, 5 [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc: 5, 4 [Enter]
• Specify end point of arc or [Angle/ chord
length]: A [Enter]
• Specify included angle: 120 [Enter]
THE CENTER, START, LENGTH OPTION
• The Center, Start, Length option is a
modification of the Start, Center, Length
option.
• This option is used whenever it is easier to
draw an arc by establishing the center first.
• The prompt sequence for drawing an arc that
has a center point at (2, 2), start point at (4,
3), and length of chord of 3 is:
 COMMAND PROMPT SEQUENCE
• Command: ARC [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc or [CEnter]: CE
[Enter]
• Specify center point of arc: 2, 2 [Enter]
• Specify start point of arc:4, 3 [Enter]
• Specify end point of arc or [Angle/ chord
length]: L [Enter]
• Specify length of chord: 3 [Enter]
 References
• Tickoo, S. 1999, AutoCAD 2000. Thomson
Learning 2000.
• Kalameja, A. 1998. The AutoCAD Tutor for
Engineering Graphics. Jemma, Inc. Publishing
group
 EXERCISES
See Google Classroom for Lesson 5
Drawing Arc Exercise.