EXPERIMENT NO.

MEASUREMENT OF AREA

Name : PARALE, ARNIEL C.( student )

GROUP No: 5
Group Leader: PARALE, ARNIEL C.
Asst Leader: GEYROZAGA, JASPER FRANZ
Members: 1. GADUGDUG, DAN MATHEW
2 . CARCUEVAS, RHODGENE
3. MADRID, JOHN JERALD

I. OBJECTIVE/S:
1. To determine the magnitude of an area enclosed by any irregular boundary using
a planimeter.

II.APPARATUS / EQUIPMENT:

1. Polar Planimeter
2. Ruler

III. DETAILED PROCEDURES:

1. Before starting the experiment, all the notes and precautions were carefully read, understood
and executed to minimize or control deviations on the planimeter readings. The fixed arm was
connected to the body of the planimeter. It was then placed in a smooth surface
table together with both the regular and irregular figures.

2. The reading was set to zero by rolling the wheel at the back portion of the
planimeter. Then the computed plane area of the regular figure was solved and
recorded. The area of the regular figure was 225.0 cm^2.

3. The planimeter reading of the regular figure was measured and recorded by placing
the pivot point of the fixed arm outside of it and was positioned 90 o from the
approximate center of its area. A starting point was clearly marked then the boundary
of the regular figure was traced along the path of the figure using the trace point of the
tracing arm until we return to the marked starting point..

4. The calibration factor was then computed out from the gathered data. Three trials
were done to ensure precise and accurate results.

5. Next, the irregular figure was measured using the planimeter. The boundary path
was traced and recorded three times. The average planimeter reading was then
computed afterwards.

6. Next, two areas of the irregular figures were computed to solve for the total area.
First, by multiplying the average irregular planimeter reading and the calibration factor
obtained from the regular figure readings. Second, by dividing the composite area of the
irregular figure to smaller regular shapes. The sum of the areas is the total area.

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7. Lastly, the percentage error was recorded and the deviations in the experiment
were identified.

IV. COMPUTATIONS AND ANALYSIS:

a. Computed area of the regular figure analytically

b. Determined area of the regular figure using planimeter

c. Computed apparatus constant, K

d. Determined area of the irregular figure using planimeter

e. Computed area of the irregular figure analytically

f. Determined percentage error

Part A:

Trial Computed Planimeter Computer Calibration

1 225.00 2.84 18.1935 12.3670

2 2.83

3 2.79

Part B:

Trial Planimeter Average Planimetere Computed %Error

1 1.66 10.7742 13.2442 125.45 6.2130%

2 1.67

3 1.68

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Computations:
1.) Equations Used:

2.) Computations:

V. QUESTIONS:

1. What is a planimeter?

A planimeter, also known as a platometer, is a measuring instrument used to

2. Name at least one other type of planimeter and compare it with a polar type
planimeter. Are there any disadvantages and advantages of polar type over the other?

Another type of planimeter is a digital planimeter, it is also called a mechanical

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of the relevant surfaces. A digital planimeter works on the built-in nickel-cadmium
storage battery. There is a rotary encoder, which has replaced the integrating wheel by
mechanical planimeter. An electronic circuit measures the pulses of rotary encoder and
area is displayed in digital form. The reading is numeric, appearing in digital format on a
small monitor.

Planimeter of conventional type a like polar planimeter, rolling planimeter etc, require a
lot of time for the setting of the farcing arm scale etc. to overcome this, an electronic
digital planimeter is used nowadays to obtained the areas of irregular figures directly,
accurately as well as quickly, which saves a lot of time and labor.

3. Explain briefly the causes of the deviation of the planimetered area with the

analytically computed area.

There are many factors that need to be taken into account but can be summarized into
three: environmental, user and apparatus caused. To put simply, these three can cause
the error. Environmental can cause the apparatus to malfunction or the person to lose
focus. User caused is basically the skill of the user; if he/she does know to use the
apparatus and what precautions to take into account. The apparatus may be low quality
and may cause deviations.

4. Indicate the readings of the Vernier:(note: readings are in square inches)

Reading: ___0_______ Reading: _______7.9___

Reading: ____7.9______ Reading: ____7.9______

Reading: _____4.37_____ Reading: _17.74_____

V. CONCLUSION
The planimeter is a drafting instrument used to measure the area of a two-dimensional
object represented in a planar region. In the experiment, the device has been
thoroughly proven by use. The measurement of the area was recorded, and the percent
error was calculated. The results however, produced a very high percentage error of
6.123 percent. In design and calculations, accuracy of the measurements is critical to the
computations of various parameters that are to be used. With a high percentage error,
there is always a need for analytical computation and constant adjustments to the
device. Human error is also attributed to the high percent error. In the performance of
the experiment, it is also observed that the calibration factor (K) obtained from the
measurement of the regular area is accurate but when it is to be used in the irregular

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area setup, it contributed to the high percentage of error. It can therefore be concluded
that other types of planimeters are more suited to other tasks and operations than
others.