The golden rectangle?

Question

--On CH build a square having CH as one side. Label the top right vertex I and the top left vertex J. You have created rectangle EGIJ.

--Moving counter-clockwise reapeat the process of adding a new square on the long side of the last rectangle until u have expanded ur construction as far as your paper will allow. FOr perposses of comunication, countinue to label new vertices alphabetically in a counter-clockwise direction.

I have no idea how to draw this. Can someone help me!

Answer 1

You left out some of the beginning. It looks like you started out with a Golden Rectangle CHEG, right?

In simpler terms, what they're saying is this:

Start with a golden rectangle, arranged so its long sides are on the top & bottom, and its short sides are right & left. So it's shaped somewhat like a movie screen.

Now draw a vertical line from the top edge to the bottom edge, so that what you have is a square on the left, and a rectangle on the right. For example, if the rectangle is 3 inches tall, then you need to measure 3 inches from the left side, and draw your line there.

So now ignore the square on the left (pretend it's "chopped off"), and just pay attention to the little rectangle on the right. It turns out the the new, little rectangle also has the Golden proportions (that's one of the magical things about Golden Rectangles).

Now turn your paper 1/4 turn to the left, so the little rectangle is on top, and the big square is on the bottom.

Now draw a vertical line in just the little rectangle, just like you did before (only smaller). Just like before, it should divide the little rectangle into a little square on the left, and a _littler_ little rectangle on the right. The tiny rectangle is _still_ a Golden Rectangle.

Now turn the paper 1/4 turn to the left, and repeat the process on the little tiny rectangle.

Keep doing this until the rectangles get so tiny that you can't draw in them any more.

Answer 2

There are some great pictures and explanations on Wikipedia.

Basically extend the short side of your rectangle until it is the same length as the long side of your rectangle and complete the sides to make a new, larger rectangle. Now with the outter rectangle repeat the same process.