# Draw a Square Without a Compass, Only a Straightedge — Part Deux

So, I previously asked the question Draw a Square Without a Compass, Only a Straightedge. From the comments and answers, it appears that that question is not solvable. Given that the question I originally saw was on an actual exam (entrance exam for Cambridge undergraduate from the 90s, or maybe 80s), this got me thinking: odds are, I've misremembered the question!

I think I have remembered it correctly now, and so pose the following question.

Is it possible to, given a square drawn on a plane, using only an unmarked straightedge, construct another square with twice the area? If so, how is this done?

From an arbitrary point A on the top half of the vertical side of the square, construct the sequence of points to finish with a square twice the area of the original square. That is, the diagonal of a smaller unit square being $$\sqrt2$$ and forming the side of the larger square with double the area.
I assume that, although the straightedge starts unmarked, we can mark lengths on it. Thus, if the side length is 1, we can mark any length in $$\mathbb N[\sqrt 2]$$.
Suppose we have square ABCD, with A =(0,0) B = (1,0), C = (1,1), D = (0,1). By the line AC and taking the point $$\frac {3\sqrt 2}{2}$$ from the origin, we can construct the point E = (1.5,1.5). By taking the ray DB and taking the point $$\frac {3\sqrt 2}{2}$$ along it, we can construct F = (1.5,-.5). The intersection of the diagonals of the square gives us G = (.5,.5). We can extend the sides of the square to give us the $$x$$ and $$y$$ axes, and then taking the distance from F to the $$x$$-axis gives us .5 (note that we can create the line segment between F and the $$x$$-axis by first taking the line segment EF). We can then take H = (1,.5), and draw the ray GH. Taking the point that is distance 2 away from G gives us I = (2.5,.5). GFIE is then a square with area 2.
• And anyway, if you can mark lengths you can just construct the points $E=(-1,0)$ and $F=(0,-1)$ and then you have the square $BDEF$. – Rahul Oct 3 '18 at 19:08