Using relative polar coordinates makes drawing a square tilted at a 45-degree angle a simple task. Polar coordinates base the location of a point on a distance and angle from either the origin (absolute coordinate) or from the previous point (relative coordinate).
To specify polar coordinates, type a distance and an angle, separated by the open angle bracket (<). For example, to use relative polar coordinates to specify a point 1 unit away from the previous point and at an angle of 45 degrees, type @1<45.
To draw the square from the example in the previous section, “Entering relative Cartesian coordinates,” this time tilted at a 45-degree angle, start the Line command, and then respond to the prompts as follows:
Start of line: 4,5
Angle • Length • <Endpoint>: @8.5<45
Angle • Length • Follow • Undo • <Endpoint>: @8.5<315
Angle • Length • Follow • Close • Undo • <Endpoint>: @8.5<225
Angle • Length • Follow • Close • Undo • <Endpoint>: C
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Drawing a tilted square using the relative polar coordinates method; enter C to close.
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This example assumes the program’s default settings.
Like all examples in this guide, the example assumes default settings: Angles increase counterclockwise and decrease clockwise. An angle of 315 degrees is the same as -45 degrees.
