Introduction

A planimeter, also known as a platometer, is a measuring instrument used to determine the area of an
arbitrary two-dimensional shape. There are several kinds of planimeters, but all operate in a similar way.

Objectives

To be able to identify the areas of four given figures and compare results with other groups.
To be able to effectively and accurately use a planimeter.

Materials Used

Planimeter
Printed Figures
Tape

Procedures

1. Assemble the planimeter.

2. Place the four printed figures on a table and secure them with tape.
3. Set the planimeter on the table, it being at 90 degrees at the start point.
4. Trace the figure precisely to ensure an accurate measurement.
5. Interpret the results on the dials.

Data Gathering

Triangle Trapezoid Curved Polygon

Group 1
Group 2 98 188 202 240
Group 3 98.7 183 197.2 237.8
Group 4 98.7 182.5 203.8 224.4
Group 5 100.8 183.4 208.2 251.2
Group 6 100 184.9 210.5 240.2
Group 7 99 183.6 207 240.1

Questions/Discussion

What are the problems you encountered while using the planimeter?

The problems our group has encountered with using the planimeter are as follows:

The unstable base of the pivot arm therefore producing unnecessary movements.
The planimeter gets stuck at some point at the edge of the paper where the figure is situated,
given a single, bigger plane of area to work with; there would have been nil minor problems.

Give ways or methods (recommendations) on how to properly/easily use a planimeter?

Our recommendations would be:

Assign the task of operating the planimeter to someone who has steady hands and clear
eyesight.
Be ready to make necessary adjustments at time when the planimeter gets stuck and the dial is
not set at 0.

Conclusion
A planimeter is a fairly straightforward instrument to use in measuring any two-dimensional area. Given
the right amount of time for practice and a steady pair of hands getting an inaccurate result would be
unlikely, unless something is definitely wrong with the planimeter.