Whether you’re drilling holes in a flower pot or dabbling in carpentry, finding the exact center of a circle can be a challenge. Here’s an easy solution for finding the center of a circle that will work with any project or material.
How to Find the Center
Remember high-school geometry? Yeah, me neither. But whether you know it or not, you’ll be using geometry for this simple task, specifically Thales’ Theorem and the idea that right angles always cut a circle through its diameter.
To find the center of a circle, all you need is a 90-degree angle and a straight edge. A framer’s square has both, but you can improvise with a piece of cardboard, paper, or whatever you have on hand, as long as the corners are 90 degrees.
Step 1
Lay the square on top of the circle, with the right angle touching the edge. Don’t worry about positioning – the beauty of the theory is that it doesn’t matter.
Step 2
Mark the circle where the sides of the square cross the edge of the circle.
Step 3
Using a straight edge (one side of the square works great), draw a line connecting the two marks.
Step 4
Reposition the square so the right angle touches the edge in another spot, and repeat steps 1-3.
Step 5
Now you have an “X” marking the center of your circle. Pretty easy, huh?
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