Did you know PowerPoint for Office 365 users includes a ruler that also incorporates a compass?
Using a Windows devices, you can use the ruler located in the Draw tab of the Ribbon to draw straight lines or create precise angles. You can slide and rotate the ruler by using your fingers on a touch device or by using a mouse. For a full rundown on how to use the Ruler please click here.
I made a quick video below to demonstrate some of the ways I have been using the ruler in my lessons.
I recently taught a unit on Coordinate Geometry and found the ruler an invaluable tool when demonstrating to students how to graph lines by drawing a line through two points and comparing equations of lines by examining their gradient or slope etc. I also used the ruler functionality to demonstrate constructing different shapes such as rectangles, squares, parallelograms and triangles.
Some tasks you might like to use the ruler in the draw tab for engaging class or homework activities using the ruler functionality:
- Deepen understanding of ratio by creating a scaled drawing of the floor plan of their dream home
- Construct a variety of quadrilaterals, angles and triangles
- Measure shapes and calculate area, perimeter or volume
- Measure a map using a given scale
To learn more about using the ruler in PowerPoint, see Office Support.